20 TURKEYS AND PHEASANTS. 



The male Wild Turkey weighs commonly from 15 to 18 

 pounds, is not unfrequently as much as 25, and sometimes, 

 according to Audubon, even 36. The hen commonly weighs 

 about 9 pounds, and the usual price for a Turkey from the 

 Indians is 25 cents. The domestic bird, when irritated by the 

 sight of any remarkable object, struts out with expanded tail, 

 and drooping his stiffened wings, swells out his wattles, which 

 become red and turgid, and advancing with a grave and 

 haughty air, utters a humming sound, now and then accomjDa- 

 nied by a harsh and dissonant ruk, o7'ook, orook, repeating it 

 at every whistle or unusual sound that strikes his ear. The 

 exhibition of a red rag is also sure to excite his wrath and 

 induce him to rush with stupid temerity at the disagreeable 

 object which he exerts himself to injure or destroy. A whole 

 flock sometimes will unite in chasing a common cock from the 

 poultry yard in consequence merely of some whimsical antip- 

 athy. From these singular dislikes, this cowardice and folly, 

 the Turkey bears in France the same proverbal imputation of 

 stupidity which in England is bestowed on the Goose. The 

 feathers of the wild bird, attached to strips of bass, were 

 anciently employed by the aborigines for tippets and cloaks, 

 and were so arranged that the brilliant surface formed the 

 outside of the dress ; and in later times similar dresses have 

 also been made by the Cherokees. 



The Turkey was first sent from Mexico to Spain in the six- 

 teenth century, and in the reign of Henry VIII., in the year 

 1524, it was introduced into England, and soon after into 

 France and other portions of Europe. 



Since Nuttall wrote, this famous bird has become extinct in the 

 New England States, as well as in Canada. Very early in colonial 

 days it had disappeared from the Province of Quebec, for at the 

 height of its abundance this bird was found only within a limited 

 area along the valley of the Ottawa, in the vicinity of the Chaudiere 

 Falls, — if I correctly mterpret the words of Pierre Bouche, who 

 was governor of the Province in 1663. By some chance several 

 small flocks survived to a much later date in Ontario. Mcllwraith 

 reports that it was numerous along the southern border as late as 

 1856, and he thinks a few still remain. 



