THE TURKEY. 89 



poults, may commence when they are about six 

 months old, and they require a longer time to 

 become fit for the market than the fowl. The 

 large birds which grace the shops at Christmas 

 are usually males of the preceding year. These 

 birds are often of extraordinary size and weight, 

 ranging from fifteen to thirty pounds. 



So far we have attended to the domestic 

 turkey ; but as the manners and habits of the 

 wild bird are remarkable and very interesting, 

 our histoiy would be far from satisfactory 

 were we to abstain from detailing them. Our 

 authorities, it must be premised, are the Prince 

 of Canino, (C. L. Bonaparte,) and M. Audubon, 

 who have paid great attention to these birds 

 in their native forests. 



"The native country of the wild turkey," 

 says C. L. Bonaparte, " extends from the north- 

 western territory of the United States to the 

 Isthmus of Panama, south of which it is not 

 to be found ; notwithstanding tha statements 

 of authors who have mistaken the curassow 

 for it. In Canada, and the densely peopled 

 parts of the United States, wild turkeys were 

 very abundant ; but like the Indian and buffalo, 

 they have been compelled to yield to the de- 

 structive ingenuity of tVe white settlers, often 



