250 



ORDERS OF BIRDS— UPLAND GAME-BIRDS 



tives often constitute an important source of 

 food supply for the Indians and Eskimos of the 

 arctic regions. 



THE PHEASANT FAMILY. 



Phasianidae. 

 The Pheasant Family was originally rep- 

 resented on this continent only by the wild- 

 turkeys; but during recent years certain foreign 

 species have been successfully introduced, and 



WILD-TURKEY, FROM VIRGINIA. 



are now becoming so numerous as to require 

 notice. 



The Ring-Necked Pheasant 1 has been in- 

 troduced from China, and acclimatized in Wash- 

 ington, Oregon, California, British Columbia, 

 and elsewhere with pronounced success. In 

 many localities it has become so abundant that 

 now it is shot by sportsmen as upland game- 

 birds once were killed in New York state. From 

 Portland, Oregon, to Vancouver the taxider- 

 mists are annually called upon to mount scores 

 of these birds, because they are so beautiful 

 that many of the sportsmen who shoot them 

 cannot consent to see their skins destroyed. 



Following the examples of the Pacific states, 

 Ohio, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsyl- 

 vania, and several other states both east and 

 west have entered seriously upon the business 

 of breeding, rearing and introducing this valua- 

 ble bird at state expense. 



The Silver Pheasant, and the very beautiful 



1 Phas-i-an' us tor-quat'us. 



Golden Pheasant, both natives of China, have 

 also been acclimatized in Washington and Ore- 

 gon. In view of the strong and hardy natures 

 of both these birds, there should be little diffi- 

 culty in introducing them in any well-wooded 

 farming region east of the Mississippi, and 

 south of the fortieth parallel. 



The Wild-Turkey 2 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, the Virginias, 

 Pennsylvania, and a few of the southern states. 

 It is doubtful if even one flock exists in the 

 north anywhere west of Pennsylvania. In 

 Oklahoma and Texas it still lives, but the gun- 

 ners of the cattle-ranches are fast killing off the 

 few flocks that remain. 



The Wild-Turkey is the king of upland game- 

 birds. It has been given to but a few hunters 

 to seek this bird in its native forests, witness 

 its splendid flight, and afterward shoulder a 

 giant gobbler weighing from twenty-five to 

 thirty pounds for a ten-mile carry. He who has 

 done this, however, will thereafter rank this 

 bird as second to none on earth. In the United 

 States only one species exists, but three geo- 

 graphic races have been described. The wild bird 

 so closely resembles the domestic turkey that 

 almost the only difference observable is the white 

 upper tail coverts of the tame bird. 



The Ocellated Turkey, 3 of Yucatan, British 

 Honduras and Guatemala is a bird of more 

 splendid plumage but smaller size than our 

 northern species. Its name refers to the beau- 

 tiful eye-spots of blue, green and purple which 

 adorn the tail-feathers. The prevailing color of 

 the body plumage is a rich metallic green, ex- 

 hibiting the brilliant iridescence and burnished- 

 bronze effects so strongly displayed in most 

 turkeys in full plumage. On account of its great 

 beauty, several attempts have been made to 

 establish this species in zoological gardens, but 

 thus far quite without success. It is to be hoped 

 that future efforts will succeed. 



2 Me-le-a'gris gal-lo-pa'ro. Length of large male, 

 about 46 inches; weight, 28 pounds. 



3 Me-le-a'gris oc-el-la'ta. 



