46 THE WILD TURKEY AND ITS HUNTING 



found in New Spain, of which a number had been 

 transported to the islands of the Spanish Main, 

 and domesticated in the houses of the Christian 

 inhabitants. His description is exceedingly ac- 

 curate, and proves that before the year 1526, 

 when his work was published at Toledo, the 

 turkey was already reduced to a state of Do- 

 mestication." 1 



Again, in a very elaborate and now thoroughly 

 classical contribution, Pennant states: "The 

 first precise description of these birds is given 

 by Oviedo, who, in 1525, drew up a summary of 

 his greater work, the History of the Indies, for 

 the use of his monarch Charles V. 2 This learned 

 man had visited the West Indies and its islands 

 in person, and payed particular regard to the 

 natural history. It appears from him, that the 

 Turkey was in his days an inhabitant of the 

 greater islands and of the main-land. He speaks 



Bennett, E. T. "The Gardens and Menagerie of the Zoological 

 Society delineated." [The Drawings by William Harvey; Engr. by 

 Branston and Wright, assisted by other artists] London, 1835. Further 

 on, this article will be quoted on other points, as it treats of the entire 

 history of the wild turkey. 



2 In the original work, here quoted, names of persons and some 

 other nouns are printed in capitals — an old custom which the pub- 

 lishers of the present work decided not to follow. My MS. was made 

 to agree with the original in all particulars. R. W. S. 



