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THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



The wings are large and powerful, the primaries black or dark brown, penciled evenly 

 with bars of white or gray, secondaries smaller; wing bones black, showing a brilliant bronzy 

 or greenish reflection in the sunlight; the wing coverts are a beautiful rich bronze, each 

 feather terminating in a wide black band, giving a wide bronze band across the wings when 

 folded; tail black, each feather being irregularly penciled with a narrow brown band, and 

 ending with a broad black band, with an edge of dull white or gray. The more distinct the 

 colors throughout the whole plumage, the better. The legs are long, and strong, and dark 

 or nearly black in young birds, changing to a lighter color in older ones. 



The hen turkey is somewhat less brilliant in plumage than the cock, but is really a beau- 

 tifully plumaged bird. The skill and experience of our best breeders have been tested in 

 bringing the bronze turkey to a very high state of perfection, and the thoroughbred bird of 



NARRAGANSETT TURKEYS. 



this variety posesses certain fixed characteristics and qualities which will be reproduced in 

 their offspring. The average weight of the adult bronze turkey cock is from thirty to forty 

 pounds, when well fattened, the hens from twenty to twenty-five pounds when fully matured. 

 Young gobblers at eight months will frequently weigh from twenty-three to twenty-five 

 pounds, and young hens from fourteen to eighteen pounds. These are about the average 

 weights, although they are frequently exceeded in adult well fattened birds. They are good 

 layers, and very hardy. 



The Narragansett Turkey. This is a variety very common in New England, 

 especially in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, where they have been bred for 

 many years. Says a recent writer: &quot; The Narragansett is an old acquaintance, and a very- 

 superior bird. He is one of our largest kinds, and is a very hardy fowl raised to the 



