THE TURKEY. 35 



Description. 



entirely white, where the climate could not be 

 supposed to have any influence in this variation, 

 and even among those whose plumage was of the 

 usual colour. 



THE TURKEY. 



IT is generally believed that this bird is a na- 

 tive of North America, and was introduced from 

 thence into England in the reign of Henry the 

 Eighth. According to Tusser's, " Five Hundred 

 Pointes of good Husbandrie," it began about the 

 year 1 o&5 to form an article in our rural Christ- 

 mas feasts. It is a large, but unweildy bird ; 

 the anterior part of the head is strangely covered 

 and ornamented with a pendulous, soft, fleshy 

 substance; as are all the sides of the head and 

 throat : the eyes are small, but bright and pierc- 

 ing; the bill convex, short, and strong; a long 

 tuft of coarse black hairs on. the breast; the 

 wings moderately long, but not at all formed for 

 supporting so large a bulk in long flights; the 

 legs moderately long, and very robust. The 

 plumage is dark, glossed with variable copper 

 and green; the coverts of the wings and the 

 quill-feathers barred with black and white. The 

 tail consists of two orders ; the upper, or shorter, 

 very elegant; the ground colour a bright bav, 

 the middle feathers marked with numerous bars 

 of shining black and green. The longer, or 

 E 2 



