58 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



lies in its form, in its proportions, in its aroma, the certificate, so t<S 

 say, of its birth. 



Whence came these changes ? "We cannot know with certainty 

 and explain the why and the how, and follow rigorously the filiation 

 of cause and effect ; but, considering the phenomena as a whole, it 

 becomes evident that it is to differences of temperature, of climate, of 

 culture, that all these modifications are due. 



This example, taken from vegetables, shows that if we transport to 

 considerable distances different specimens of the same vegetable, 

 placing them in different conditions of cultivation, we obtain different 

 races. Tea transpoi'ted some years ago into tropical America would 

 present us with like facts. 



Take, now, an example from animals. You all know the turkey 

 but, perhaps, some of you do not know that it came from America. 

 Its introduction into Europe is quite recent. 



In America the turkey is wild ; and there, in its natural conditions 

 of existence, it presents many characters which distinguish it from our 

 domesticated individuals. The wild-turkey is a very beautiful bird, 

 of a deep-brown color, very iridescent, presenting reflections of blue, 

 copper, and gold, which make it truly ornamental. It was because of 

 its fine plumage that it was first introduced into France. In the be- 

 ginning no one thought of the turkey as food ; and the first turkey 

 served at table in France was in 1570, at the wedding of Charles IX., 

 two hundred and ninety-seven years ago. 



As soon as one has tasted the turkey, one finds that he is too good 

 to be merely looked at. He passes from the park to the poultry-yard, 

 from the poultry-yard to the farm, and from one farm to another, east, 

 west, north, and south. At present, in almost all France, turkeys are 

 raised and are a considerable object of commerce. 



But, in going from farm to farm, in travelling all over our country, 

 this bird has encountered different conditions of existence, differences 

 of nourishment and temperature, and never the primitive conditions 

 that it had naturally in America. As a consequence of all this, the 

 turkey has also varied, and, to-day, not a turkey in France resembles 

 the wild stock. Generally, it has become much smaller ; when it has 

 preserved its deep plumage it has become darker and duller ; but some 

 have become fawn-colored, others are more or less white, and others 

 again are spotted with white, gray, or fawn-color. 



In a word, almost all the localities to which the turkey has become 

 addicted have given birth to new varieties which have been trans- 

 formed into races. 



Now, in spite of these changes, and although they do not resemble 

 their first parents in America, and do not resemble each other, are our 

 French turkeys less the children of the wild-turkey of America ? Or 

 if you like that better, are they less brothers and sisters ? Have they 

 ceased to be part of the same species ? Evidently not. 



