178 ITS INTRODUCTION INTO ENGLAND. 
the date of the reigns of these monarchs, the first turkies 
must have been brought from Mexico, the conquest of 
which was completed A.D. 1521.” * 
“These facts,” observes Mr. Blyth, “are generally 
known, but not the fact for which there is abundant 
evidence, that the domestic turkey was introduced from 
Europe into the North American colonies, where a 
kindred wild species abounded in the forest.” 
The origin of the English name turkey, as applied to 
a bird indigenous to America, has provoked much dis- 
cussion. The best explanation is that given by Mr. 
Blyth, in the work last quoted { :— 
“Tt is certain,” he says, “that the Guinea-fowl was 
commonly termed the Yurkey-hen in former days, and 
hence a difficulty sometimes in knowing which bird is 
meant by sundry old authors. As the Portuguese dis- 
coveries along the west coast of Africa preceded those 
of the Spaniards in America, there is reason to infer that 
our British ancestors became acquainted with the guinea- 
fowl prior to their knowledge of the turkey; and the 
English trade being then chiefly with the Levantine 
countries, our ancestors may well have fancied that it 
came from thence. Referring to a curious old dictionary 
in my possession (published in 1678) for the word 
* It is observable, however, that in ‘‘The Privy Purse Expenses of King 
Henry VIII." turkies are not once mentioned amongst the fowls to be provided 
for the table. 
+ ‘Journal Asiatic Society, Bengal,” vol. xxix. p. 38. t Pp. 390, 391. 
