156 Birds of Colorado 
Distribution.—The Rocky Mountains region of the United States 
from, Colorado through New Mexico and Arizona to northern Mexico. 
Turkeys were formerly abundant throughout the greater part of 
Colorado. Pike, in 1806, on his march up the Arkansas Valley to what 
is now Cafion City, several times alludes to them, and fed his soldiers 
on those he was able to shoot; they are still to be met with occasionally 
in the less-accessible parts of the State. Morrison, in 1888, found 
them abundant along the Pine River in La Plata co. One was taken on 
the Buckhorn in Larimer co. in 1861; R. Borcherdt killed three out of a 
flock of twenty-five in the fall of 1868 on Plum Creek, south of Denver 
(Felger); they doubtless still exist in the south-eastern corner of the 
State south of the Arkansas River, while Warren states that C. H. 
Smith, of Coventry, saw one in the San Miguel cafion in January, 1898. 
There is a mounted male example of a Colorado Turkey in the Colorado 
Museum, of Natural History at Denver. It was killed by Carter near 
Cafion City in January, 1878; another specimen, a mounted female in 
the State Historical Society’s collection, was obtained near Durango in 
the winter of 1895 by A. J. Allen, and both these seem undoubtedly 
referable to this subspecies; but it is possible that the Turkeys of 
the lower Arkansas Valley may be the eastern race (M. g. silvestris), 
distinguished by their deep rusty tail-tips and the rich-dark chestnut 
of the lower-rump and tail-coverts. 
Habits.—Merriam’s Turkey seems to be more of 
a mountain bird than the Turkey of the eastern states. 
It feeds on insects, berries and plant tops, and is specially 
fond of acorns. The nest is placed on the ground, 
generally sheltered somewhat, and is lined with leaves, 
weeds and grass. The eggs, eight to fourteen, are white, 
dotted with reddish-brown evenly distributed, and 
measure 2°75 x 1°90. 
ORDER COLUMB. 
The Pigeons form a well-marked group, having no 
close well-defined relationships, except with the Old 
World Sand-Grouse. 
They are birds of moderate size with short legs, and 
toes without a trace of a web. The bill is very character- 
istic, the distal portion being slightly swollen and hard, 
and the proximal portion, in which the nostrils open, 
