THE TURKEY. ^ 165 



originally from Turkey. The French named 

 them Coq et Poule cVInde, because they 

 were natives of the West Indies, and this 

 was subsequently corrupted into Dindon, a 

 name which they still retains. 



The weight of the wild turkey hen is 

 usually about nine pounds. The wild tur- 

 key cocks are larger, and vary more in their 

 weight. Usually they weigh from fifteen to 

 eighteen pounds. Audubon mentions hav- 

 ing seen one exposed for sale at Louisville 

 which weighed thirty-six pounds. 



The turkey is a hardy bird, but requires 

 a great quantity of food. It has, therefore, , 

 become a general practice to kill off the 

 whole brood in the autumn, reserving only 

 a cock and two or three hens to keep 

 through the winter. In the ordinary way, 

 as soon as the young are six weeks old, it 

 is usual to turn out the hen, and let her and 

 her brood shift for themselves until autumn, 

 when they are shut up and fattened. They 

 are great wanderers, and often prove a 

 source of deserved vexation to the uncon- 

 scientious farmer who permits them thus tc 



