MELEA G BIS GA LL OP A V O. 
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FAMILY I. MELEAGRIDIDiE. THE TURKEYS. 
Head and neck , destitute of feathers. Top of keel, not equaling in length the depth of 
the inner marginal indentations, and the tip is not produced forward. Terminal expansion 
offurcula, not wide, and approximating very closely to the sternum. Upper process of ma¬ 
nubrium, not produced forward. 
The costal process of the sternum is narrow and truncated, and the bone of the ex¬ 
treme outer edge, beyond the outer marginal indentation, is widened and produced forward. 
There is also a large perforation through the manubrium and the sternum in front of the 
keel is furrowed, while the depression is provided with a central ridge. 
GENUS I. MELEAGRIS. THE TURKEYS. 
Gen. Ch. Forehead, provided with a fleshy cone which is extensible. Tarsus, spurred. Tail, rather long and rounded. 
Breast of males, usually provided with a long tuft of bristles. 
This genus contains but few species,, and all of them are of a large size, with well marked characters, as given above. 
There is but one species within our limits. . 
MELEAGRIS GALLOPAVO. 
Wild Turkey. 
Meleagrisgallopavo Linn, Syst. Nat., I; 1766, 268. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Ch. Form, robust. Size, large. Sternum, stout. Head and neck, destitute of feathers but sprinkled with fine 
bristles. Feathers, broad at tip and abruptly truncated. 
Color. Adult male. Body throughout, black, each feather is crossed with a subterminal, iridescent band of bluish 
which has greenish and bronze reflections. Rump and upper tail coverts, banded with deep chestnut. Wings, very dark- 
brown, finely banded with yellowish-white. The tail is deep chestnut tipped with lighter, there is a broad, subterminal 
band of dark-brown and the remainder of the feathers are finely mottled and banded with chestnut, while the flanks and 
under tail coverts are tipped with the same color. Abdomen and tibia, yellowish-brown with the feathers tipped with 
lighter. Head and neck, blue and red. Feet, red. Bill, red, yellow at tip. Iris, brown. 
Adult female. Quite similar to the male, but differs in being somewhat smaller, and less brilliant in color. Thespurs 
on the legs and bristles on the breast are usually absent. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
This species may be at once recognized by its resemblance to the well-known domestic Turkey, from which the wild 
birds differ, however, in being more brilliant in color. Distributed, as a constant resident, in favorable localities, through¬ 
out Eastern United States. Probably extinct in New England. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of specimens from Eastern United States. Length, 42 , 00; stretch, 62'50; wing, 19'50; tail, 
16‘50; bill, 112; tarsus, 6‘50. Longest specimen, 50 - 00; greatest extent of wing, 68’00; longest wing, 2P00; tail, 17 50; 
bill, l - 25; tarsus, 7 , 00. Shortest specimen, 34 - 00; smallest extent of wing, 57'00; shortest wing, 18 - 00; tail, 15 50; bill, 
1-00; tarsus, 6'00. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests, placed on the ground. They are not very elaborate structures, being composed of leaves, weeds, or other con¬ 
venient material. 
Eggs, from ten to twenty in number, short oval in form, creamy or buff in color, spotted and dotted, usually quite 
thickly, with reddish-brown. Dimensions from l - 85x2'45 to 2‘00x2'50. 
HABITS. 
The Wild Turkey which has received as much, if not more, attention from writers, 
than any other species of American birds, is rapidly becoming exterminated. There has 
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