122 
Synopsis of the Birds 
running about as soon as hatched and picking up the 
food indicated by the mother, and remaining under her charge 
until autumn, or even the following spring. Run swiftly : 
take wing with difficulty; flight low, whirring, limited : but 
very few undertake long periodical journeys. Voice unplea- 
sant, crowing, cackling, or whistling. Flesh edible, gustful 
food ; in domesticity, poultry ; when wild, game. Analogous 
to Pecora among Mammalia. 
FAMILY XYI. GALLINACEI. 
Gallinacei , III. Nudipedes , Plumipedes , Vieill . 
Razzolanti, Rnnz. Tetradactyli , Latr. 
Bill thick : nostrils basal. Fore goes connected at base 
by a membrane. Neither hind toe, nor tail ever wanting. 
38. MELEAGRIS. 
Meleagris, L. Gm. Lath. 111. Cuv. Vieill. Temm. Ranz . 
Gallopavoi Briss . Cynchramus , Moehring. 
Bill entire, covered at base by a naked, cerelike membrane 
prolonged into a pendulous, fleshy, conic, erectile, hairy, 
caruncle : nostrils oblique, situated in the cere : tongue fleshy, 
entire. Head very small, naked, carunculate, as well as half 
of the neck : throat with a longitudinal, carunculous appen- 
dage : a pendulous bristly tuft on the inferior portion of the 
neck. Feet somewhat elongated. Tarsus naked, clypeate, fur- 
nished with an obtuse spur in the male ; toes scutellated ; hind 
toe half as long as the lateral equal ones ; middle toe much 
the longest : sole granulated : nails oblong, wide, obtuse 
rounded above, perfectly plane beneath. Wings not 
reaching beyond the origin of the tail ; first primary shortest; 
