198 FARMING FOR LADIES. [chap. ix. 



is said, of their tenderness ; although the plu- 

 mage of the wild species is precisely of that 

 appearance, and the qualities of the bird, 

 both in constitution, size, and flavour of the 

 flesh, are nearly the same. The black species 

 is, however, generally preferred, from being 

 thought whiter in the skin and firmer in the 

 grain of the flesh than the white, and the 

 chickens are supposed easier to rear. We, 

 however, imagine this to be a prejudice which 

 has arisen more from the great numbers of 

 that colour fed in Norfolk, and sent as pre- 

 sents all over the kingdom, than from any 

 other cause ; for we could never discover any 

 difference of flavour between the black and 

 the white, which we have indiscriminately 

 bred, and vast quantities of both colours are 

 reared in France. 



The cock-turkey, when not excited, is a 

 stupid bird : so much so, indeed, that any 

 silly fellow whom in England people would be 

 apt to call " a goose," is in France always 

 termed " un dindonr When not aroused by 

 that passion to which no being is insensible, 

 he is also a mere bully, for although he will 

 bluster over the common fowls if unopposed, 



