THE BRONZE TURKEY. 167 



tan. The extraordinary brilliancy of its plumage renders it almost equal in 

 beauty of coloring to the Impeyan Pheasant, which scarcely surpasses it in the 

 metallic lustre of the feathers. In size it is nearly equal to the common turkey. 

 At the base of the upper mandible of the bill is a long, fleshy caruncle, capable 

 of contraction and dilation as the bird is excited or tranquil. The head and part 

 of the iieck are naked, and of similar livid color, but without those caruncles 

 or fleshy tubercles on the lower part which are so characteristic of the common 

 species. On the breast, the tuft of coarse hair, that forms so characteristio a 

 feature in the common turkey is absent. 



" The feathers of the upper part of the body are mostly of a brilliant bronzed 

 green, terminated by two bands ; th^ flrst black, and that next t^e tip of a 

 golden-bronze color. Lower down the back the colors become more vivid, and 

 are tinted with emerald green, rich\)lu^ or red, according as the light falls upon 

 them. On the tail the bars or bands become broader and even more brilliant, 

 making each feather appear as if eyed or ocellated ; and, from the arrangement 

 of the tail coverts there appear four rows of these brilliant metallic eyes. The 

 upper wing coverts ai°e a rich, bright chestnut, which contrasts strongly with the 

 white of the feathers of the lower part of the wing. 



" The entire plumage may be described as far more brilliant, varied, and beau- 

 tiful than that of any other turkey. The general appearance of the bird differs 

 widely from that of the domestic species. Several hybrids between this and the 

 ordinary species exist, and these have proved perfectly fertile, breeding freely 

 in domestication." 



DOMESTIC BKBBDS OF TUKKBYS. 



The original varieties of domestic turkeys were but two, the Norfolk, or blaiek, 

 and the Cambridge, or variegated. These varieties have latterly, however, bein 

 elaborated into a larger number, by the skill of modern breeders in fixing certain 

 characteristics of color, untU we have one or two varieties of white turkeys, of 

 which the White Sottand is a very large, fine bird; the contrast of colors be- 

 tween the red neck, the black tuft or be~ard, and the snow-white plumage being 

 very beautiful. The bufl' color often seen in the common turkey has also been 

 fixed in a separate breed. Rhode Island has produced a large breed called the 

 Nwrragamett, the prevailing colors being a mixture of black and white, and also 

 an equally large dove or slate colored breed; and within a few years a new, 

 larger, and very fine variety called the Brome turkey has been originated by 

 crossing with the wild M. sylvestris. 



At several times since the domestication of the turkey, birds with crests sim- 

 ilar to those of the Polish fowl ha-re appeared, but no breeder has yet been able 

 to fix this peculiarity so that it wiU be uniformly reproduced. 



THE BBONZB TUKKBY. 



We quote from the American AgncuUiwmt the following remarks upon this 

 splendid breed : 



"All things considered, we place the Bronze turkey attheheadof all the breeds 

 of this domesticated bird. The white, buff, black, slate, and other varieties, all 



