Wild Turkey. Nelson (1877) reports the wild turkey "still abundant in 
southern Illinois and@ in bottom lands along rivers in central Illinois." 
Ridgeway (1895) says "weights 16 to 40 pounds in extreme southern 
counties. Still common but becoming less so even here." 
Woodruff (1907) says “fairly common in the densely wooded dis- 
tricts in the central portion of Illinois." 
G. Ws Walker (1897) says "extinct in Boone County since 1845." 
Musselman (1922) reports " a few supposed to be in the heavy 
river bottom woods in southern Illinois.” 
Lashbrook told me that turkey disappeared from the Sangamon 
bottoms in 1877. Olin told me that turkey disappeared from the mouth of 
the Illinois 15 years ago, or about 1915. My father killed a wild turkey 
about 1892, probably near Farmington, Iowa, on the Skunk River across from 
Hancock County. This was the last flock in that region, 
Evidently the wild turkey disappeared from nothern Illinois about 
1850, from the central portion about 1880, and from the southern extremity 
in more recent years, A single flock still persisted in Union County in 
1928, This consisted of 18 birds, using both on the Illinois bluffs and 
across the river in Missouri. 
The extreme persistence shown by this species wiuerever suitable 
timber cover remains is good evidence for believing that it could be brougt 
back in considerable numbers if the state ever embarks on a state faestry 
pice It would seem especially important for the state to save the 
single remnant probably remaining in Union County, since these birds may 
represent native blood impossible of replacement through the importatiion 
of breeding stock. 
Neither the acquisition of state forests and other kind of land 
- 53= 

