4 BIEDB OF ILLINOIS. 



Sclater and Salvin. To the same suborder belong the common 

 dojnestic fowl, the Guinea-fowl {Wimdda meleagris), the Old 

 World Phammddm, or Pheasants, and all of the Grouse and 

 Partridge families {Tetraomdm and Perddcidm). To the other 

 suborder (known as QalUnm Perist&ropodes) belong the tropical 

 American Orcmdoe (Curassows, Guans, and Chachalacas) and the 

 Australian Megapodidm (Mound-Fowl or Brush-Turkeys^. 



The Meleagrmm, as at present known, include a single genus, 

 Meleagris, which is peculiar to eastern and southeastern North 

 America, its southern limit being the Peten district of Gua- 

 temala and parts of British Honduras, where (as also in Yuca- 

 tan) occurs the M. ocellata (the Ocellated or Honduras Tur- 

 key) — a magnificent bird, almost rivaling the Impeyan Pheasant 

 and Peacock in the brilliancy of its colors. 



Genus MELEAGRIS Linna:us. 



Meleaaris Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. 10, 1758, 156. Type, Meleagris gaUopamo Linn. 



GUN. Cb^b. Xegs with transverse seutelleB before and behind ; reticulated laterally. 

 Tarsi with spurs. Tail rounded, rather long, usually of eighteen feathers. Forehead with 

 a depending fleshy cone. Head and the upper half of the lieok without feathers. Breast of 

 male in one species with a long tuft of bristles. 



The two species of this genus (one of them with two very 

 strongly marked geographical races) may be distinguished as 

 follows : 



1. U, gallopavo. Breast of the male with a tuft of long, oo^-se, hair-Uke blaok bristles. 

 Tall bright umb^r- or dull ferruginous-brown, narrowly barred with black, and crossed 

 near the end with a broad subterminal band of black. Spurs moderately developed. 

 Female much smaller and duller colored than the male. 



a. tallopa/iio. Tip of tall and all at the upper tail-coverts dark chestnut; prevailing 

 hue of metallic reflections coppery. Hob. Eastern United States and Canada. 



^. mexicana. Tip of tall and all of the upper tail-coverts white or pale buff;* prevail- 

 ing hue of metallic reflections greenish. Hab. The common domesticated bird. 

 derived from the wild Mexioan race ; the latter ranging from southern Mexico north 

 to mountains of Arizona, New Mexico, southern Colorado, and western Texas. 



2. M. ocellata. Breast of male without tuft of brisHes. Tail ash-gray, narrowly barred 

 with blaok, broadly tipped with refulgent copper-bronze, and ornamented with kirge 

 subterminaj eye-spots or ooellse of brilliantly metallic steel-blue, bordered with velvety 

 blaok; longer upper tail-coverts similarly adorned, and body barred with richly lus- 

 trous golden-bronze, steel-blue, gi-een, etc., and velvety black. Spurs greatly devel- 

 oped and very sharp in the male. Female decidedly smaller than the male but scarcely 

 less brilliant. Hab. Yucatan, Peten district of Guatemala, and adjoining portions of 

 British Honduras. ^ 



• Some varieties, due to domestication, are wholly black, cream-colored, or tawny. 



