CHARACTERISTIC BIRDS. 
197 
peculiar forms. “ For as rosy dawn differs from sunny 
eve, though both owe their effect and receive their 
reflected glow from the same sun, in like manner does 
America differ from the continent of the Old World, 
similar in many respects, and in some all but identical; 
in most, she is essentially and obviously different, not 
only in form, hut in colour and development.” The 
bird-world is well represented in North America, and 
Europeans are indebted to it for the Turkey. This bird, 
Meleagris gallopavo , now spread all over Europe, especially 
in the South, lives wild, to this very day, in large flocks 
within the mighty and well-watered forests of both North 
and South America up to the higher latitudes.* A second 
member of this useful and numerous order, Cupidonia 
cupido , Pinnated Grouse, inhabits the desolate, yet wide 
and well-grassed, plains, known by the name of the 
Prairies. The Americans have, in some instances, given 
the name of this bird to these tracts. 
The other Wood-grouse found in North America 
resemble those of the Old World much more than the 
Prairie Hen, and are, therefore, scarcely worth particular 
mention. On the other hand, we must allude to the 
small Quails ( Ortyx ), which are represented by several 
species in the northern part of this continent. A 
superficial glance at the Avi-fauna of North America 
presents other species worthy of notice. This conti¬ 
nent possesses a Parrakeet ( Conurus carolinensis ); it 
harbours congeners of our Finches ( Niphcea hyemails); 
several Grosbeaks ( Coccoborus ), to a certain extent the 
representatives of our Hawfinch ; the over-rated Cardinal 
* Dr. Brehm is not quite correct in this statement. Mr. D. G. Elliot, the best 
authority on the subject, recognizes three species of Turkey, all of which are 
confined to North and Central America, but do not enter South America.— W. J. 
