BIRDS AS DOMESTICATED ANIMALS 



249 



those of other domesticated birds. And before steel pens came 

 into general use the large feathers from the wing were in great 

 demand for the making of quill -pens, which even now have 

 many admirers. 



THE TURKEY (MELEAGRIS GALLOPAVO). A native of the 

 southern part of North America, this bird was first described 

 in 1527, and is known to have been domesticated in Europe 

 by 1530, having very likely been introduced early in the century. 

 That it soon found favour in this country is evident from the 

 following facts quoted by Newton (in A Dictionary of Birds] : 



Fig. 1181. Guinea- Fowls (Nutnida meleagris) 



' The earliest documentary evidence of its existence in England 

 is a 'constitution' set forth by Cranmer in 1541. . . . This names 

 * Turkeycocke ' as one of * the greater fowles ' of which an eccle- 

 siastic was to have * but one in a dishe '. . . . Moreover, the 

 comparatively low price of the two Turkeys and four Turkey- 

 chicks served at a feast of the serjeants-at-law in 1555 (Dugdale, 

 Origines) points to their having become by that time abundant, 

 and, indeed, by 1573 Tusser bears witness to the part they had 

 already begun to play in 'Christmas husbandlie fare'." 



THE GUINEA-FOWL (NUMIDA MELEAGRIS, fig. 1181). This 

 form is native to West Africa, and appears to have been domes- 

 ticated at two different periods, i.e. in the times of the ancient 

 Romans, and during the sixteenth century. 



Under the term " poultry " may be included fowls, ducks, 



