5Q THE WILD TURKEY AND ITS HUNTING 



foemince (Kennett's Parochial Antiq. 287), for 

 this fowl was familiarly known by the names of 

 Afra Avis and Gallina Africana and Numida. 

 It was introduced into Italy from Africa, and 

 from Rome into our country. They were neg- 

 lected here by reason of their tenderness and 

 difficulty of rearing. We do not find them in 

 the bills of fare of our ancient feasts (neither in 

 that of George Nevil nor among the delicacies 

 mentioned in the Northumberland household 

 book begun in the beginning of the reign of Henry 

 VIII) ; neither do we find the turkey ; which last 

 argument amounts almost to a certainty, that 

 such a hardy and princely bird had not found 

 its way to us. The other likewise was then 

 known by its classical name; for that judicious 

 writer Doctor Caius describes in the beginning 

 of the reign of Elizabeth, the Guinea-fowl, for the 

 benefit of his friend Gesner, under the name of 

 Meleagris, bestowed on it by Aristotle" (CAII 

 Opusc. 13. Hist. An., lib. VI. c. %). 



" Having denied, on the very best authorities, 

 that the Turkey ever existed as a native of the old 

 world, I must now bring my proofs of its being 



