THE WILD TURKEY. 89 



mesticated state in America on the arrival of the 

 Spaniards, the wild being represented as of the 

 largest size, reaching even the weight of sixty 

 pounds, and of a superior flavour, but the flesh of a 

 red colour. There is, however, some discrepancy 

 in these accounts, certain of our voyagers repre- 

 senting the wild turkeys of Virginia as carrion, 

 utterly unfit to be eaten, and express their disap- 

 pointment in the expectation of a good meal from 

 some which they shot from a tree. The supposed 

 existence, in America, of a breed of wild turkeys 

 unfit for food, is as old as the time of the Buc- 

 caneers ; it is certain, however, that there is also a 

 very eatable and excellent breed in both North and 

 South America, though it be but lately that we have 

 any account of the introduction of an American 

 variety into this country. 



This bird, of such worth and consequence for 

 domestic use, was probably introduced into this coun- 

 try from Spain, soon after the discovery of America; 

 since Tusser, who lived in the reign of Henry VII., 

 represents it as a common Christmas dish, together 

 with pig, goose, and capon. The turkey did not reach 

 France quite so early ; the first intelligence we have 

 of it in that country, being at the nuptial feast of 

 Charles IXth, in the year 1570. They have since 

 been domesticated throughout the civilized world, in 

 every climate, although said not to succeed equally 

 on the barren sands of Africa. 



There is a sameness of colour in the wild turkey, 

 and the original stock seems to have been black, do- 

 mestication generally inducing a variety of colours. 

 Yet one would suppose that white also must have 



