THE WILD TURKEY 



125 



business of breeding, rearing and introducing this valuable 

 bird at state expense. 



The Silver Pheasant, and the very beautiful Golden 

 Pheasant, both natives of China, have also been acclimatized 

 in Washington, Oregon and British Columbia. In view of 



mwi 



WILD TURKEY, FROM VIRGINIA. 



the strong and hardy natures of both these birds, there should 

 be little difficulty in introducing them in any well-wooded 

 farming region east of the Mississippi and south of the for- 

 tieth parallel. 



The Wild Turkey^ once inhabited nearly one-half of 

 the United States; and, considering the great size of the bird, 

 the earnestness of our efforts to exterminate it, and the very 

 little that has been done toward its protection, its survival 

 to-day is cause for wonder. It is yet found in a few heavily 

 timbered regions in the East and South — such as Florida, 



' Me-le-a'gris gal-lo-'pa'vo. Length of large male, about 46 inches; weight, 

 28 pounds. 



