THE TURKEY. 363 



breast remains coal-black, looking, in the Hens, like a tail of 

 ermine, and so showing as a great ornament. The head and 

 caruncles on the neck of the male are, when excited, of the 

 same blue and scarlet hues. Thus the creature, with small 

 portions of black, blue, and scarlet, relieving his snowy and 

 trembling flakes of plumage, is truly beautiful; and some few 

 farmers keep them, in spite of the disadvantages attending 

 them. A merit is, that they dress most temptingly white for 

 market. But they are unsuited for miry, smoky, or clayey 

 situations, and show and thrive best when they have a range 

 of clean, short pasture, on a light or chalky subsoil. 



The American Turkeys are merely a recent importation 

 from the New World, of birds whose progenitors were not 

 many generations back in a state of nature ; they are, in short, 

 fresh blood from the primaeval forests. The most striking 

 point in which they differ from the best plumaged of the 

 Cambridge breed, is the extreme brilliancy of their changeable 

 metallic tints. In all the coloured Turkeys these glancing 

 tints depend much upon condition. An experienced eye will 

 at once see whether Poultry is in good or bad condition, from 

 the look of the plumage, just as a groom would pronounce 

 upon the smooth or staring coat of his horse. But the 

 American Turkeys are ever pre-eminent in this respect. They 

 are also more hardy, lively, game-like, and self-dependent, 

 searching for their food like Pheasants. Those who have kept 

 them, pronounce them to be the most profitable and best-tasted 

 breed, as well as the handsomest. The metallic hues of their 

 back feathers, when seen in the sunshine, are quite dazzling. 

 The Rev. W. D. F., to whom we are indebted for admirable 

 specimens, says, "I have always believed these birds to be 

 descendants of the true wild breed brought immediately from 

 America. The owners of them have constantly laid claim to 

 this; in proof whereof, I may mention an anecdote which 

 occurred some years since. At that time Earl Powys was 



