TUB KEYS. 159 



and greater than those of Mexico." Antonio de Espego, 1583, speaks of them as 

 "hens of the country." Benzoni, 1572, says they are only found " in the terri- 

 tories of Guatemala, of Cape Fonduri, and Mexico ;" that they have been brought 

 to Kurope, and that this species of peacock is commonly called the Indian 

 fowl. 



"Thisnoble bird, says Prescott, was introduced into Europe from Mexico. Tlip 

 Spaniards called it gaUopavo, from its resemblance to the peacock. Baird says it 

 is reported to have been introduced into England in 1541, and in 1573 had be- 

 come the Christmas fare of the farmers. In 1526 it had already been transported 

 in a domestic state to the Antilles. 



"There can, however, be no question of the fact that the turkey was habitually 

 reared by the Mexicans at the time of the conquest. Bancroft furnishes refer- 

 ences which carry its domestication beyond the Mexicans of Montezuma's time, 

 for in the splendid zoological gardens of that emperor, 500 turkeys were daily 

 killed forfookfor the birds of prey. One of the chief offerings of the Zapotecs 

 was the blood of the, to them, sacred turkey. The Nahuas kept and bred tur- 

 keys, quails, geese, ducks, and many other birds. In ancient Yucatan, the 

 Maya Nahuas had domesticated turkeys, ducks, geese, and other fowl. 



"The American turkey, M. gdUtyaavo (L), is a native of North America, from 

 Mexico to the forests of Lower Canada, but has not been fonnd wild west of the 

 Eocky Mountains. We have noticed that Coronado, in New Mexico, found, 

 tamed by the Indians, a turkey "greater" than those of Mexico. Watson, in 

 his annals, says precisely, that "the Swedes on the Delaware tamed the wild 

 turkey. The Indians also tamed the turkeys and kept them near their huts." 

 Thus, although we are willing to believe with Baird, that the M. Mex^ana fur- 

 nished the first one eaten inFrance,°served at a banquet given at the wedding of 

 Charles IX.,.in 1570, we deem it equally reasonable to believe that some of our 

 present birds, at least, trace their origin to the M. GaUopavo.* Ferliaps it is 

 to this latter strain we are to assign those varieties which attain great size and 

 weight, such as the one sent by Mrs. Lounesbury, of Connecticut, in 1866, to Pres- 

 ident Johnson, which, not quite two years old, weighed-above 47 lbs.; or the still 

 larger one killed by A. Johnson, of Pulaski, Ky., which, according to sworn 

 statement, weighed 55 lbs. A slate-colored bird, exhibited at the Paris Kxhibi- 

 tion, weighed 43 lbs. Now Josselyn refers to wild turkeys in Massachusetts 

 which, when pulled and dressed, weighed 30 lbs.; Wood calls for an extreme 

 weight, 40 lbs.; and when William Penn settled Philadelphia, the wild turkeys 

 were said to be so large and fat as to sometimes weigh 46 lbs. Mr. Audubon 

 records a weight of 32 lbs. 



"The American Standard of Excellence, for use in judging, disqualifies Bronze 

 turkeys where the adults do not weigh 25 lbs. and 16 lbs. for the cock and hen 

 respectively; Narragansett turkeys must weigh 25 lbs. and 15 lbs.; White tur- 

 keys, 20 lbs. and 12 lbs.; Black turkeys. 20 lbs. and 12 lbs.; Buff turkeys, 20 lbs. 

 and 12 lbs.; Slate turkeys, 20 lbs and 12 lbs. 



" The turkey was at one time almost feral on the banks of the Parana (Darwin). 



*It will be noticed that Sturtevant gives the name gaUopavo to the variety named splvestris 

 by Gill. It would seem more proper to give the name gaUopavo only to the variety to which 

 Linneeus originally applied it, which was, doubtlcES, that of Mexico.— Ed. 



