° 1915 J Wright, Early Records of the Wild Turkey. 211 



John Davis, 1 at the end of the century, tells how they used " to 

 penetrate the woods in search of wild turkies" at Coosawhatchie. 

 In the nineteenth century, we have few notes. Gurney, in 

 speaking of North Carolina, notes that 2 " The elegant forms of the 

 wild turkeys on the full run, were sometimes seen gliding through 

 the forest" and at Savannah he notices that "Among the birds, 

 the wild turkey is common." The following year, 1842, Bucking- 

 ham finds 3 " Wild turkeys and wild ducks are in sufficient abun- 

 dance to furnish game for food." 



Florida. 



Several of the early 16th century notes pertain to Florida. In 

 the next century, the historical literature of the turkey is scant. 

 In "Virginia richly valued, By the description of the mainland 

 of Florida, her next neighbour. . . .London 1609" we find 4 "There 



be many wild Hennes as big as Turkies " "In a Relation of 



the Invasion and Conquest of Florida, . . . .London, 1686" we have 

 "The Poultry are wild there, as big as Peacocks, and very plen- 

 tiful." 



In the eighteenth century, the roll of records is longer. The 

 first author who mentions it is Wm. Stork who in 1766, writes 

 that 5 " In the woods are plenty of wild turkeys, which are better 

 tasted, as well as larger, than our tame ones in England." When 

 in Florida, John Bartram 1766 records the wild turkey. 6 In 1770, 

 J. H. Wynne practically repeats Stork's statement. " The History 

 of North America London 1776" has it (p. 251) that "With regard 



to the winged species, here are vast numbers of turkeys, " In 



1791 we have the extended notes of Wm. Bartram. Of St. Ille, 

 south of Alatamaha 60 miles, he says 7 " Turkeys .... are here to be 



1 Davis, John. Travels of Four and a Half in the United States of America; 

 — London, 1803. N. Y., 1909 edition, p. 112. 



2 Gurney, J. J. A Journey in North America Norwich, 1841, pp. 62, 372. 



* Buckingham, J. S. The Slave States of America. London, 1842. "Vol. I, 



p. 156. ^ 



« Force, P. Vol. IV, p. 131. 



6 Stork, William. An Account of East Florida London, 1766, p. 51. 



8 Bartram, John. A Journal kept .... for the Floridas; Jan. 14, 1766, p. 18. 

 In Stork, vide supra, 3rd edit., London, 1769. 



i Bartram, Wm. Travels, pp. 18, 101, 109, 110, 179, 189, 199, 201, 235, 348. 455. 



