CHAP. IX.] FARMING FOR LADIES. 19o 



sembles ; and in France it is called " Din- 

 don" and "d'Inde," no doubt in consequence 

 of a supposition that it came from India ; but 

 it is distinctly ascertained to be a native of 

 North America. It is, indeed, somewhat re- 

 markable that, although the tenderest of all 

 our poultry, it is yet found wild in large flocks 

 throughout the whole range of that continent, 

 even so far as the Canadian forests, and was 

 not brought into Europe until after the dis- 

 covery of that quarter of the globe by the 

 Spaniards. It was then gradually carried 

 from Spain to Italy, and other parts of the 

 south, but did not reach England until some 

 time in the reign of Henry VIII., its arrival 

 being recorded in the well-known distich of 

 * Baker's Chronicles :' — 



" Turkies, hoppes, pickerell, and beere, 

 Came into Englande all in one yeare.'' 



The breed however spread so rapidly, that 

 in a feast given in the Inner Temple Hall, on 

 the 18tli of October, 1555, turkey chicks 

 were bought in the market at the price of 

 four shillings each ; which, although a large 

 sum at that time, was not so extraordinary 

 as to be thought extravagant, as, on the same 



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