648 The American Naturalist. (July, 
Meleagrine: Meleagris gallopavo.—The presence of the remains of 
the common Wild Turkey in this collection is well attested to by the 
following list of bones :— 
Sixth cervical vertebra and the fragments of two others. 
Superior extremities of seven coracoids. 
Proximal two-thirds of left humerus. 
Distal end of right humerus. 
Fragments of the proximal ends of two other humeri. 
Proximal end of left ulna. 
Fragments of four carpo-metacarpi largely complete). 
Fragment of distal end of right fem 
Distal extremities of two tibio-tarsi ( z and 9 ?). 
Superior portions of six tarso-metatarsi and one distal end. 
Three tarso-metatarsi (fragmentary), with calears developed there- 
upon. 
Upon comparing these bones and fragments of bones with the cor- 
responding ones in the skeletons of M. gallopavo, it leaves no doubt as 
to their identity. And, as in this last species, very considerable differ- 
ence in size is seen to exist between the sexes, as well as between the 
male and females when compared with the subadult individuals. Pro- 
fessor Marsh at different times has described three species of alleged 
extinct Turkeys, viz., Meleagris antiquus,' M. altus? and M. celer, but I 
am very sceptical indeed in regard to the validity of the first named, 
i. e., Meleagris antiquus, or in other words, I doubt the propriety of 
basing a new species of fossil Turkey upon “ the distal end of a right 
humerus,” as Professor Marsh has done in this case. Nor do the 
characters he describes for this species, as being diagnostic, hold true. 
It is a positive detriment to science, in my estimation, to create new 
species of fossil birds upon the distal ends of long bones, and surely no 
assistance whatever to those who honestly andeavor to gain some idea 
of the avian species that really existed during prehistoric times. 
far as M. altus and M. celei are concerned, I can only say that I know 
nothing of them from a personal examination of the material upon- 
which the species are based, and this has been refused me 
In the case of Meleagris altus Professor Marsh says that the length 
of the tarso-metatarsal is equal to 176.5 mm. (p. 261) and the present 
writer says that it is by no means uncommon to find the same bones in 
adult male specimens of M. gallopavo fully of that length, if not longer. 
1Am. Jour. Sci., II, 1871, 126. : 
2? Pr, Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1870, 11; and Am. Jour. Sci., IV, 1872, 260. 
3 Am. Jour. Sci., 1872, 261 
