58 THE WILD TURKEY AND ITS HUNTING 



in that diligent and excellent naturalist Marc- 

 grave, who resided long in that country, I must 

 deny my assent. But the former is confirmed 

 by that able and honest navigator Dampier, 

 who saw them frequently, as well wild as tame, 

 in the province of Yucatan (Voyages, Vol II, 

 part II, pp. 65, 85, 114), now reckoned part 

 of the Kingdom of Mexico." 



"In North America they were observed by the 

 very first discoverers. When Rene de Landon- 

 niere, patronized by Admiral Coligni, attempted 

 to form a settlement near where Charlestown 

 now stands, he met with them on his first 

 landing in 1564, and by his historian has repre- 

 sented them with great fidelity in the fifth plate 

 of the recital of his voyage (Debry): from his 

 time the witnesses to their being natives of the 

 continent are innumerable. They have been 

 seen in flocks of hundreds in all parts from 

 Louisiana even to Canada; but at this time are 

 extremely rare in a wild state, except in the more 

 distant parts, where they are still found in vast 

 abundance." 



"It was from Mexico or Yucatan that they 



