TURKEY

(Meleagris), the name for two American species, the largest of the game birds. M. gallipavo, the origin of the domesticated varieties, formerly occurred throughout the N. American continent, and was abundant in the United States, in parts of which it is still hunted with greyhounds. The wild birds are both larger and more ornate than domesticated T's., which, however, have been much improved by introductions of wild blood from time to time in recent years. The largest of the domesticated varieties is the American mammoth bronze, the plumage of which is a beautiful dark bronze with a red metallic lustre. Among other varieties are the white, buff, slate or lavender, and black. M. occellata, the other species, occurs in Honduras, and po e es plumage of great brilliancy with ocellated oreyed tail feathers.