VAEIETIES OF TURKEY. 225 



bird, truly indigenous, and, in the opinion of Benjamin 

 Franklin, should have been the American emblem. 



This splendid bird is found over all the North 

 American continent, though it does not exist (in a \vild 

 state) south of the Isthmus of Darien. Four varieties are 

 known, without including the wattled turkey {Tallegalla) 

 of Australia. Of these, the first on the list is the Ameri- 

 can turkey, which, though in times past abundant 

 through all the Eastern States, is now very rare except 

 in the South and West. Arkansas and Texas are the 

 great nurseries of the turkey, though many are still 

 found in Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, and Alabama, 

 where, in all probability, they will find refuge for many 

 years to come in the cane brakes and tangled forests 

 which abound in those States. 



In the high table-lands of Mexico, and in the Eocky 

 Mountain regions, is found the Mexican turkey. 

 Having never seen this bird, I cannot describe it ; but 

 it is said to differ materially in many points from the 

 first-named bird. 



The ocellated turkey of Central America is third on 

 the list, and this bird possesses almost as gaudy a 

 plumage as the peacock, its neck, breast, and body 

 flashing in the sunshine with tints of green, purple, and 

 gold. 



Last of all comes the common or domestic turkey, 

 a variety which in all probability has been kept in 

 a domesticated state for ages, as is supposed to be 



Q 



