THE WILD TURKEY ENCLOSURE, No. 33.
At the northern end of Squirrel Ridge, where the Alligator Walk intersects the Rodent Walk, an ideal quarter of an acre, of oak and hickory trees, underbrush, and bare rock, has been dedicated to the king of game birds.
The Wild Turkey, (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris), is a bird of magnificent size and presence, and the splendid metallic luster of his plumage—a mixture of burnished bronze copper, lapis lazuli, and fire opal iridescence—backed up by a great bulk of savory flesh, all combine to make this the finest game bird on earth. It was once fairly abundant throughout the eastern United States, and still is found in Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, Virginia and other southern states as far west as Texas. Three other species of Meleagris are now recognized—one in Florida, one in southern Texas and northeastern Mexico, and the fourth in Mexico, extending to western Texas and Arizona.