2 TURKEY CULTURE. 



Charles the Fifth, with a collection of fabrics, minerals, 

 and other products of the New World. Three years later 

 he dispatched another communication, together with a 

 royal fifth of the spoils of Mexico, embracing a rich collec- 

 tion of all the products of the country, and it is not to be 

 supposed that the turkey was omitted, especially as it was 

 easily obtained. This consignment, however, was captured 

 by a French privateer and fell into the hands of Francis 

 the First, who is said to have gazed with wonder and envy 

 upon the spoils of the Aztecs, and to have expressed the 

 wish to see the clause in Adams' last will and testament 

 that authorized his imperial rivals of Castile and Portugal 

 to divide the New World between them. 



Prescott further says, in describing the manners of the 

 Mexicans: "The table was well supplied with substantial 

 meats, especially game, of which the most conspicuous 

 was the Wild turkey, erroneously supposed, as its name sug- 

 gests, to have come originally from the East." He also 

 says that this noble bird was introduced into Europe from 

 Mexico, where it was domesticated, and was very common 

 and abundant not only in Mexico, but all along the 

 continent. 



Thus we see how history records its introduction into 

 Europe and refers to the error of supposing it to have 

 come from the country so called. The Spaniards recog- 

 nized its relation to the peacock by calling it gallopavo, 

 the name of the true or Indian peacock being pavon. 

 Naturalists place it in the same order in which are in- 

 cluded pheasants, quail, etc. The peacock is the proud 

 ornament of this order, and, as I have said, is a native of 

 India, and is mentioned in the history of the East. His- 

 tory further tells us that the turkey was first brought to 

 England in 1524, five years after Cortez first sent specimens 

 to Spain. At first it was only in the hands of the rich, as 

 naturally would be the case, but in course of time became 

 accessible to the poor as well. So much, then, as to the 



