THE TUiiB::^;^.] 



POULTET. 



[the tueket. 



CHAPTER V. 



THE TURKEY ; GUINEA IIEN ; PEA-FOWL ; PHEASANT, ETC. 



THE TURKEY 

 Under the singular impression that this bird 

 and the Meleagris of the ancients are identical, 

 Linnaeus, and some other naturalists, have de- 

 signated the Turkey as the Meleagris Galli- 

 ■pavo. This error was first observed by the 

 Prench academicians, who pointed it out ; and 

 it is now generally accepted as correct. 



The common turkey is a native of North 

 America, and was introduced into England in 

 the reign of Henry YIII. According tc 

 Tusser's ^ive Hundred Pointes of Good Hus- 

 handrie, it began, about the year 15S5, to form 

 an article in our rural Christmas feasts : — 



" Beefe, mutton, and porke, shred pies of the best, 

 Pig, veale, goose, and capon, and turkie well drest; 

 Cheese, apples, and nuts, jolly carols to heare, 

 As then in the countrie is counted good cheere." 



The turkey is one of the most diflBcult birds 

 to rear of any that we have ; yet, in its wild 

 state, it abounds in the forests of Canada. 



The origin of the name appears to have 

 arisen from the confusion that, at first, sub- 

 sisted relative to the identity of the bird with 

 the Guinea fowl, which is really a native of 

 Turkey, and was introduced into England from 

 the Levant. Athenians, and other classical 

 ■writers, with the most minute accuracy, refer 

 to this fowl ; and in scarcely one particular, can 

 any resemblance be traced between it and the 

 turkey. 



The disposition of the female turkey bird is, 

 in general, much more mild and gentle than 

 that of the male. "When leading out her 

 young family to collect their food, though bo 

 large, and apparently so powerful, she gives 

 them very little protection against the attacks 

 of any rapacious animal that may approach 

 them. She rather warns them to shift for 

 themselves than prepares to defend them. 



The best mode of keeping turkeys, is to allow 

 them a large open shed, sufficiently protected 

 from tlie weather, and, above all, from moisture, 

 to the destructive eliects of which the turkey 

 is singularly liable. The j^erchcs should be 



soy 



high, and a hen-ladder is very necessary to be 

 placed in their habitation. The reason for suo-- 

 gesting this is, that although turkeys may fly 

 very well in their natural state, yet when fat- 

 tened by the arts of domestication, they be- 

 come by far too weighty for the strength of 

 their wings. The consequence of this is, that 

 they often injure themselves in their descent 

 from a lofty perch, more particularly if kept 

 in a state of confinement. When enjoying 

 the fulness of their liberty, they are enabled 

 to take better care of themselves, and also to 

 take such an amount of exercise as will pre- 

 serve them from assuming alderraanic prooor- 

 tions. In warm weather they should be al- 

 lowed to choose their own roostiug-places, 

 whether on the trees or about the farm ; but 

 if frost be expected, this liberty must not be 

 granted them, on account of the tenderness of 

 their toes, and their susceptibility to be frost- 

 bitten. To these birds, although originally the 

 inhabitants of an extremely cold climate, it is 

 now found that summer is the only season of 

 the year when they may, with safety, be per- 

 mitted to roost out of doors. 



In a wild state turkeys are gregarious ; and 

 associate in flocks, sometimes to the number of 

 five hundred. They frequent the great swamps 

 of America to roost ; but leave these situations 

 at sunrise, to repair to the dry woods in 

 seai'ch of acorns and berries. They perch on 

 trees, and gain the height they wish, by rising 

 from bough to bough, and generally mount to 

 the summits of even the loftiest. They are 

 very swift runners, but fly awkwardly; and, 

 about the month of March, become so fat that 

 they cannot carry themselves beyond three 

 or four hundred yards, and are then easily run 

 down by a horseman. 



The females lay their eggs in spring, gene- 

 rally in some retired and obscure place ; for 

 the cock, enraged at the loss of his mate while 

 she is employed in hatching, is apt to break 

 them. They sit on their eggs with so much 

 perseverance, that, if not taken away, they 



