Fancy Pheasants. 



often seen it in confinement, and it is certainly one of 

 the most desirable birds of this family, its beautiful 

 colouration being unique, not only among its own 

 relatives, but among birds in general. But it does not 

 seem to be so hardy as most Guinea-fowls, and I should 

 not recommend it to anyone who has not a warm 

 southern situation and facilities for keeping his birds 

 warm and sheltered in winter. It has been bred in con- 

 finement, however. 



As to the Turkeys, they have apparently always been 

 poultry and nothing more in the estimation of most 

 people. The common one was found to be a domestic 

 bird, and of great use as food, when the Spaniards in- 

 vaded America. But as wild Turkeys are occasionally 

 kept at large like Pheasants, and as there is a species 

 of Turkey most eminently suited for a fancy bird, they 

 may, as I said above, claim a place here. 



The Wild Tuekey. 

 (Mdeagris gallopavo.) 



This bird in its pure state is lighter in build and less 

 'heavily wattled than the tame bird ; the hen's head 

 also is not quite so bare. Its colour is bronze, with the 

 feathers of the flanks, rump, and tail tipped witii white. 

 This is the precise race from which our tame Turkeys 

 were in the first instance derived ; it inhabits North 

 Mexico and West Texas. But the Eastern United 

 States are inhabited by another race or species, which is 

 the wild Turkey most often heard of and kept (Melea- 

 gris americaiuc). This bird has these feathers, which 

 are white-tipped in the Mexican species, tipped with 

 deep chestnut maroon, and so not contrasting with the 

 general plumage. It is this variety which has 

 been used to cross with the tame Turkey and 

 produce the American Mammoth Bronze breed. Both 

 species have iJale red legs in the wild state, unlike most 

 tame Turkeys. 



Other wild varieties exist, somewhat intermediate 

 between the light and dark rumped forms, and it is 

 rather doubtful if these can fairly be called species ; but 

 the fidelity of the tame birds to the type they were 

 originally derived from is an argument in favour of their 



distinctness. The white barring is seen both in English 

 and Indian bred birds, so climate does not affect it. In 

 India, however, the Turkeys, though smaller, are much 

 more heavily wattled than at home, and all I have seen 

 are blacks (often white barred) or black-barred whites ; 

 pure whites, fawns, or bronzes being apparently un- 

 known. 



The Hondueas ok Ocellated Tukkey. 

 (Mdeagris occllata.) 



This species differs from the other Turkeys in several 

 important points. It appears to have no brush of hair 

 on the breast and no dewlap ; there is a thick comb on 

 the head of the cock, and the skin of the head, which is 

 smoother than in the common birds, is studded ■with 

 pea-like warts, some of whicli tip the comb and the long 

 appendage over the beak. The hen differs from the cock 

 much as in ordinary Turkeys. 



The plumage is wonderfully brilliant, being only 

 rivalled in metallic splendour by that of the Monanl, 

 and even excelling the Peacock's. The general colour 

 is burnished green, the feathers tipped with a lighter 

 shade of the same ; there is a broad bar of burnished 

 copper on the wing, but the flights are barred black and 

 white as in common Turkeys. The rump and tail are 

 mottled finely with white on black, tipped with a 

 brilliant mietallic bl ue spot, finished off with burnished 

 copper, this splendid end-marking contrasting admirably 

 with the grey ground. The bill and legs are red, the 

 head is blue, with the sldn round the eye scarlet, as also 

 are the warts. 



The Ocellated Turkey is found only in Central 

 America, and is rare in captivity. I have never seen it 

 alive, tliough it has been exhibited in the London Zoo- 

 logical Gardens. It has produced hybrids with the 

 common Turkey, to which bird it is rather inferior in 

 size. It appears, unfortunately, to be delicate,- but 

 would be well worth taking up by any fancier residing 

 in a mild district and warm situation, as it seems to be 

 tameable enough, and has a most striking appearance. 

 There is a splendid stuffed fpeohnen in the South 

 Kensington Museum. 



