SPECIES EXTINCT OR EXTIRPATED. 489 



there are, which divers times in great flocks have sallied by 

 our doores; and then a gunne, being commonly in a redi- 

 nesse, salutes them with such a courtesie, as makes them take 

 a turne in the Cooke roome. They daunce by the doore so 

 well."^ He asked his Indians what number they found in the 

 woods, and they answered "neent metawna," more than they 

 could count, which Morton interprets as "a thousand that 

 day." 



William Wood (1629-34, Massachusetts) writes: "the 

 Turky is a very large Bird, of a blacke colour, yet white 

 in flesh; much bigger than our English Turky. He hath the 

 use of his long legs so ready, that he can runne as fast as a 

 Dogge, and flye as well as a Goose: of these sometimes there 

 will be forty, threescore, and a hundred of a flocke, sometimes 

 more and sometimes lesse; their feeding is Acornes, Hawes, 

 and Berries, some of them get a haunt to frequent our English 

 come: In winter when the Snow covers the ground, they 

 resort to the Sea shore to look for Shrimps, & such smal 

 Fishes at low tides. Such as love Turkic hunting, must 

 follow it in winter after a new falne Snow, when hee may 

 follow them by their tracts; some have killed ten or a dozen 

 in halfe a day; if they can be found towards an evening and 

 watched where they peirch, if one come about ten or eleaven 

 of the clocke he may shoote as often as he will, they will sit, 

 unlesse they be slenderly wounded. These Turkies remaine 

 all the yeare long, the price of a good Turkic cocke is foure 

 shillings; and he is well worth it, for he may be in weight 

 forty pound." ^ 



Several Massachusetts town histories refer to the Turkey. 

 Many hills and small streams of the Commonwealth have 

 received their names from the Turkeys which once frequented 

 them. We can form little idea to-day of the almost incredible 

 abundance of these noble birds. 



Lawson (1709) states that he has seen about five hundred 

 in a flock.' 



1 Morton, Thomas: New English Canaan, Pub. Prince Soc, 1883, p. 192. 

 ! Wood, William: New England's Prospect, Pub. Prince Soc, 1865, p. 32. 

 8 Lawson, John: History of Carolina, 1860, p. 244. 



