THE BIRD BOOK 



TURKEYS. Family MELEAGRID^ 



310. Wild Turkey. 



Meleagris gallopavo silvestris. 



Range. — Eastern United States from southern 

 Middle States south to central Florida and west 

 to the Missippi Valley and eastern Texas. These 

 magnihcGnt birds, which once ranged over the 

 whole of eastern United States, arc being yearly 

 confined to a smaller range, chiefly because of the 

 destruction of their natural covers, and from per- 



^ " ' * * ff - 





Fi*' 





v*<% 



Huff 



secution by hunters. They are generally very 



wary birds and either escape by running through 



the underbrush or by flying as soon as a human 



being appears in sight. Their nests are made 



under tangled growths of underbrush or briers. 



Their eggs, which are laid during April and May, 



range from eight fo sixteen in number. They are 



Sage Hen of a buff color sprinkled and spotted with brown- 



Wild Turkey . , ^. ,T rr 1 on t^ 2. tt it * ■-, 



ish. Size 2.55 x 1.80. Data. — Hammond, La., April 

 17, 1897. Fifteen eggs. Nest hollow scraped in the ground under a bush on 

 the edge of a pine woods; lined with grasses and leaves. Collector, E. A. Mc- 

 llhenny. 



310a. Merriam's Turkey. Meleagris gallopavo merriami. 



Range. — Southwestern United Stales from Colorado south through western 

 Texas, New Mexico and Arizona to Mexico. 



This variety is abundant throughout its range, its nesting habits and eggs 

 being practically indistiguisliable from those of the eastern form. 



190 



