29$ W I L D T U R K E Y. 



Peacock*. The Caireus o( Strah/f feems to be the fame bird. He 

 defcribes it as uncommonly beautiful, and fpotted ; and very like a 

 Peacock. The former author:]; gives a more minute account of this 

 fpeciesj and under the fame name. He borrows it from Clitarchus, 

 an attendant oi Alexander the Great in all his Gonquefts. It is evident 

 from his defcription, that it was of this kind ; and it is likewife 

 probable, that it was the fame with his large Indian poultry before 

 cited. He celebrates it alfo for its fine note; but allowance mull be 

 inade for the credulity of ^Elian. The Caireus, or Peacock Pheafant, 

 is a native of Tii>et, and in all probability of die north of India, where 

 Cliiarchus might h.a.ve ohferved it; for the march of Alexander was 

 through that part of India which borders on Tibet, and now known 

 by the name of Penj-ab, or Five Rivers. 

 Not natives of I Ihiall now colleft from authors the feveral parts of the world 

 Europe; where Turkies are unknown in the ftate of nature. Europe hdiS, no 

 lliare in the queftion, it being generally agreed, that they are ex- 

 otic in refpeft to our continent. 

 KOR OP Asia. Neither are they found in anypartof y^(2M/«or, or the /^^/zV Tur- 



key, notwithftanding ignorance of their true origin firft caufed them 

 to be named from that empire. About Aleppo, capital of Syria^ they 

 are only met with domefticated, like other poultry 1|. \n Armenia 

 they are unknown, as well as in Perfia, having been brought from 

 Venice by fome Armenian merchants into that empire § ; where they 

 are ftill fo fcarce, as to be preferved among other rare fowls in the 

 ■ Royal menagery f . 



In India they are kept for ufe in our fettlements, and imported 

 from Europe, as I have been more than once informed by gentlemen 

 long refident in that country. 



Du Halde acquaints us, that they are not natives of China; but 

 were introduced there from other countries. He errs, from mifin- 

 ibrmation, in faying that they are common in India. 



* EdiM. ii. 67. Brijfon, i. 291. Lin. Syji. 268. f Lib. Kv. p. 1046. 



X De Anim. lib. xvii. c. 23. || Ruffell, 63. § Tawrnier, 146, 



^ Bell's Trawls, i. 128. 



