MELEAGRIS MEXIOANA. 
MEXICAN TURKEY. 
MELEAGRIS 
MELEAGRIS 
MELEAGRIS 
MELEAGRIS 
MEXIOANA. Gould. Proc. Zoo! Soc. (1856), p. 61. 
GALLOP AYO. Gray. List. Gall. (1867), p. 42. 
GALLO PAVO? Briss. Orn. Yols. 1 to 16. 
MEXIOANA. Ooues. Proc. AcacL Nat. Scien. Phil. (1866), p. 93. 
This magnificent species, which is without doubt the origin of our domesticated Turkeys, was described by Mr. Gould, as quoted 
above, from a specimen obtained in Mexico, and from this typical example the Portrait now given was taken. It is somewhat of a 
mooted question what the proper name of this bird should be, some considering it as the M. Gallopavo of authors ; but this does not 
appear to be the correct view. All the old writers, such as Belon, Gessner, Aldeovandus, Johnston, Ray, etc., mention, and in some 
instances figure the “Turkey,” but in most of the cases it is very difficult to understand exactly to what species they refer. Belon, 
in his “Histoire de la Nature des Oiseaux,” gives a colored woodcut, which seems to be intended for the M. Gallopavo of authors, the 
common Wild Turkey. Gessner’s illustration, although intending to rejiresent a Turkey, gives us no idea of the bird, so far as the par- 
ticular species is concerned ; and the two colored woodcuts furnished by Aldrovandus are equally unsatisfactory. 
All these authors have very confused ideas of the habitat of the Turkey, whether it came from the Old or New World; but Ray, 
in his Synopsis Avium, gives us the first clue to the species he is describing when he calls it Gallopavo Sylvestris Novae Anglia;, or New 
England Wild Turkey, which can be no other than our well-known species of the United States. Brisson, in his “ Ornithology,” page 158, 
Yol. I, refers to what I consider the domesticated bird, as Gallapavo, quoting as synonyms the names used by the authors who preceded 
him ; and if he was considered as an authority at the present time, the species here represented would have to take this name, as it is 
the origin of the domesticated race ; but, on page 164 of the same work, he speaks of another bird as Gallapavo Sylvestris, which he 
states is much larger than the first, and is also “ d’un noir beaucoup plus fonc6,” giving as a synonym of this Ray’s New England 
Wild Turkey. For the first time we seem to have here a perception of two species, and an attempt to separate them. Linnajus, beyond 
whom ornithologists have generally agreed not to go in their nomenclature, now steps in, and establishes his Meleagris Gallapavo upon 
the bird of Ray and Brisson, which would seem to set at rest all doubts as to what name the common Wild Turkey of the more 
northern portion of North America should bear; and that the appellation of M. Mexicana, given to the present species by Mr. Gould, 
is the proper one for it to be known by. Yieillot, in the “Galerie des Oiseaux,” gives a figure of the common Wild Turkey, under 
the name of M. Fera, which has been adopted by Gray in his recent list of the Gallime in the British Museum. I fail to discover 
any reason for the establishment of this appellation. 
The Mexican Turkey takes its place among the “ Birds of North America,” from having been discovered by my friend Dr. Coues in 
Arizona. He says that “the Wild Turkey is a permanent resident of the mountains of the immediate vicinity of Whipple, but quite 
rare, so much so that I procured no specimens. In some portions of the Southern Rocky Mountain region it is exceedingly numerous.” 
The present species differs very materially from the M. Gallopavo, being much lighter in the general color of its plumage, and 
having white upper tail coverts, and tail tipped with the same. These last characteristics are nearly always found in the domesticated 
race, but are never met with in the common wild bird. 
No account of the economy or habits of this species has been given by any of those naturalists who have seen it in its native 
wilds, but it doubtless in these respects resembles very closely its northern relative. 
Gould’s description of the type specimen now in the British Museum, as compared with the M. Gallopavo of the Northern United 
States, is as follows : “ Shorter legs, considerably larger and more broadly expanded tail, conspicuously zoned with brown and black, and 
terminating ivith white ; the tail coverts are very profusely developed, largely tipped with white, and bounded posteriorly with a narrow 
line of black, their basal portions being rich metallic bronze. The same arrangement of coloring also prevails on the feathers of the 
lower part of the flanks, and on the under tail coverts, where it is particularly fine; the centre of the back is black, with green, 
purple, and red reflections ; the base of the neck, upper part of the back, and shoulders are in some lights bronzy, in others the color 
of fire; the greater wing coverts uniform bronzy-brown, forming a conspicuous band across the wing. All the primaries are crossed by 
mottled bars of blackish brown and white freckled with brown ; all the under surface is fiery copper, intensely brilliant in some lights, 
and becoming darker toward the flanks.” 
The figure is half the natural size. 
