32 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [ANNO 1781. 



not have any large compass. The few examples given above may serve as a 

 specimen. 



VI. An Account of the Turkey. By Thomas Pennant, Esq., F. R. S. p. 67. 



TURKEY. — Bill convex, short and strong. Head and neck covered with a 

 naked tuberose flesh, with a long fleshy appendage hanging from the base of 

 the upper mandible. On the breast a long tuft of coarse black hairs. 



Wild Turkey. — Josselyn's Voy. Qy. Rarities 8. Clayton's Virgin. Lawson, 

 149. Catesby Topp. 44. — Le coque d'Inde, Belon 248. — Gallo-pavo, Gesner. 

 Av. 481. Icon. 56. — Gallo-pavo, Aldrov. Av. II. 18. — Gallo-pavo, the Turkey, 

 A. 3. — Gallo-pavo sylvestris Novae Angliaa, a New England wild Turkey, Raii 

 Synopsis Avium 5 1 . — Meleagris Gallo-pavo. M. capite caruncula frontali gula- 

 rique, maris pectore barbato, Lin. Syst. 268. — Le Dindon de BufFon III. 

 Brisson. 1, 158, tab. 16. PI. Enl. Q7 ■ 



Description. — T. with the characters described in the definition of the genus. 

 The plumage, dark glossed with variable copper colour, and green. Coverts of 

 the wings and the quill feathers barred with black and white. Tail consists of 

 2 orders. The upper or shorter very elegant, the ground colour a bright bay; 

 the middle feather marked with numerous bars of shining black and green. 

 The greatest part of the exterior feathers of the same ground with the others 

 marked with 3 broad bands of mallard green, placed remote from each other. 

 The two next are coloured like those of the middle; but the end is plain and 

 crossed with a single bar, like the exterior. The longer or lower order are of a 

 rusty white colour, mottled with black; and crossed with numerous narrow- 

 waved lines of the same colour, and near the end with a broad band. 



Wild turkeys preserve a sameness of colouring; the tame, as usual with 

 domestic animals, vary. It is needless to point out the differences in so well 

 known a bird: the black approaches nearest to the original stock. This variety 

 I have seen nearly in a state of nature in Richmond and other parks. A most 

 beautiful kind has of late been introduced into England, of a snowy whiteness, 

 finely contrasting with its red head. These, I think, came out of Holland, 

 probably bred from an accidental white pair; and from them preserved pure from 

 any dark or variegated birds. 



The sizes of the wild turkeys have been differently represented. Some wri- 

 ters assert that there have been instances of their weighing 60 pounds; but I 

 find none who, speaking from their own knowledge, can prove their weight to 

 be above 40. Josselyn says, that he has eaten part of a cock, which after it 

 was plucked, and the entrails taken out, weighed 30. Lawson, whose authority 

 is unquestionable, saw half a turkey serve 8 hungry men for 2 meals; and says, 

 that he had seen others which he believed weighed 40 pounds. Catesby tells us, 



