File:Key to North American birds. Containing a concise account of every species of living and fossil bird at present known from the continent north of the Mexican and United States boundary, inclusive of (14564947007).jpg

Identifier: keytonorthameric00coue (find matches)
Title: Key to North American birds. Containing a concise account of every species of living and fossil bird at present known from the continent north of the Mexican and United States boundary, inclusive of Greenland and lower California, with which are incorporated General ornithology: an outline of the structure and classification of birds; and Field ornithology, a manual of collecting, preparing, and preserving birds
Year: 1890 (1890s)
Authors: Coues, Elliott, 1842-1899
Subjects: Birds -- North America Birds -- Collection and preservation
Publisher: Boston, Estes and Lauriat
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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eachleg. The ArgusPheasant, Argusa-nus giganteus, is dis-tinguished by theenormous develop-ment of the secon-dary quills, as wellas by the length ofthe tail-feathers andpeculiarity of themiddle pair. Thecombed, wattled, andspurred barn - yardfowl, with folded tailand flowing middlefeathers, are descend-ants of Gallus bank-iva, type of a small genus. The Tragopans, Ceriornis, are an allied form with few species; the Macartneys,Euplocomm, with a dozen species, are another near form, as are the Impeyans, Lophophorm,with a slender aigrette on the head, like a peacocks. The naturalized English j)heasant, P.colchicus (fig. 394), introduced into Britain prior to A. D. 1056, is the type of Phasianus, inwhich the tail-feathers are very long and narrow ; in one species, P. reevesii, the tail is saidto attain a length of six feet. The Golden and Amherstian Phensants^Chrysolophus pictus andC. amherstice, are singularly beautiful, even for this group. The other genera are Crossoptilonand Puerasia.
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5^ Fig. 395. — Turkey. (From Lewis.) 676 SYSTEMA TIC SYNOPSIS. — GALLING — ALECTOROPODES. 36. Family MELEAGRIDIDuE : Turkeys. Head and upper neck naked, caruuoulate; in our species with a dewlap and erectile pro-cess. Tarsi naked, scutellate before and behind, spurred in the $. Tail broad, rounded, ofI4r-18 feathers. Plumage compact, lustrous ; in our species with a tuft of hair-like featherson the breast. One genus, two species. M. ocellatus is the very beautiful Turkey of CentralAmerica.203. MELEAGRIS. (Gr. /nfXeaypif, Lat. meleagris, a guinea-fowl; transferred in ornithology tothis genus.) Turkeys. Characters of the family. 553. M. gallipavo. (Lat. gallus, a cock, pavo, a pea-fowl. Fig. 395.) Turkey. Upper tail-coverts chestnut, with paler or whitish tips; tail-feathers tipped with brownish-yellow orwhitish; 3-4 feet long, etc. Wild in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and southward; domesti-cated elsewhere. The Mexican bird is the original of the domestic race ; it was upon thiafor

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