T U R 
fiTrnirtied with nets for taking tiiem. Next to 
herrings, the leffer lampreys are moft efteemed. 
PladdockSjCUt in pieces, fand- worms, and limpets, 
are alfo ufed ; and when neither can be procured, 
bullock's liver is fubftituted in their room. The 
hooks ufed for Turbot are two inches and a half 
long in the fliank, and near an inch wide between 
the fhank and the point. The line is made of 
fmall cording, and always tanned before ufing. 
Turbots, as well as all filli of the Ray kind, are 
extremely delicate in their choice of bait; for, if 
a piece of herring has been twelve hours out of 
the fea before it is placed on the hooks, they will 
feldom touch it. 
Turbot, Pearl ; the Pleurone(R:es Rhortibus 
of LinnfEus. This variety is frequently expofed to 
fale in the London markets ; but it is inferior to 
the Turbot in goodnefs, as well as in fize. The 
irides are yellow; the (kin is covered with fmall 
fcales, quite free from any fpines or inequalities ; 
the upper fide of the bodv is of a deep brown co- 
lour, marked with fpocs of dirty yellow j and the 
under fide is pure white. 
TURDUS, ThruOi. In the Linnfean fyftem, 
a genus of birds of the order of pafferes : the dif- 
ting;uifhing characters of which are; that the 
tongue is jagged, and furrounded with a rim or 
margin ; the bill is of a conic, pointed figure, the 
upper mandible bent at the apex, and emarginated; 
the noftrils are naked, and but half cevered above 
with a finall membrane; and the chaps are ciliated. 
LinnjEus enumerates twenty-eight fpecies. 
According to Ray, the charafters of this genus 
are the following: they are of a middle fize be- 
tween the lark and the pigeon; their beaks are 
moderately long, thick, and a little incurvated 
downwards; their mouths are yellow within ; their 
tails are long; and their food is both vegetable 
liibflrances and animals in common. 
Moft of thefe birds fing very melodioudy; and 
are capable of being taught to imitate the human 
voice. 
Britain affords four fpecies of the Thrufh: the 
mifiTel-bird ; the fong-thrufh, or throftle ; the 
field-fare; and the fwine-pipe, or redwing. 
TuRDUs is alfo the name of a genus of fiflies, 
according to Ray's diflribution, of the clafs of 
fuch as have only one back fin; the anterior rays 
of which are prickly, and the hinder ones foft 
and fmooth. 
TURKEY. A diftinfl genus of birds of the 
order of gallinas; the diftinguifhing chara6lers 
of which are, that the head and neck are covered 
with naked tuberous flefh, and a long flefhy ap- 
pendage hanging down from the bafeofthe upper 
mandible: to which may be added, from Pen- 
nant, that the bill is convex, fhort, and ftrong ; 
the noftrils are open and pointed at one end, and 
lodged in a membrane ; the tongue is floped on 
both fides towards the end, and pointed ; and the 
tail is broad, confifting of eighteen feathers, and 
extenfible. Linnsus enumerates three fpecies. 
The Turkey was unknown to the ancient na- 
turalifts ; and even to the Old World, before the 
difcovery of America. It was a bird peculiar to 
the new continent ; and is at prefent the moft 
common wild fowl of the northern parts of that 
country. It was firft imported into France in the 
reign of Francis I. and into England in that of 
Henry VIII. The firft birds of this kind muft 
therefore have been bi'ought from Mexico ; which 
conqueft was compleatcd in 1521. ^lian in- 
deed mentions a bird found in India, which fome 
have fuppofed to be the Turkey ; but G.efner and 
Pennant are of opinion, that it was either the pea- 
cock, or fome bird of that genus. Some perfons 
who have refided in the Eaft Indies inform us, 
that though the Turkey is bred there, it is not 
confidered as a native of the country, but only as 
a domeftic bird. 
The Turkies of this country, when young, 
are among the tendereft of birds ; yet in their 
wild ftate, they are very numerous in the forefts 
of Canada, which are covered with fnow above 
nine months in the year. In their natural woods 
they are much larger, as well as more beautiful, 
than in their ftate of domeftic captivity ; their 
plumage being grey, bordered at the edges 
with a bright gold colour. The Savages weave 
their feathers into cloaks, to adorn their perfons ; 
they alfo form them into umbrellas and fans ; but 
never think of animals under their prote6lion, 
which the woods fupply in fufficient abundance. 
The hunting of the Turkey conftitutes one of 
the Savage's principal diverfions; and it's flefli 
contributes greatly to the fupport of his family. 
When he has difcovered the retreat of the Tur- 
kies, he takes with him his dog, which he has 
trained to the fport, and fends him into the midft 
of the flock. As foon as the Turkies perceive 
their enemy, they run v/ith fuch prodigious fwift- 
nefs, as to leave the dog at a great diftance be- 
hind : heftill, however, continues to follow them, 
knowing from experience that they muft foon be 
tired, as they are incapable of running faft for any 
confiderable fpace of time. At length, he obliges 
them to take fhelter in fome tree; where, quite 
exhaufted with fatigue, they fit till the hunter 
arrives, who, with a long pole provided for that 
purpofe, knocks them down one after another. 
Turkies are furious among themfelves, but 
extremely weak and cowardly even among other 
animals lefs powerful than themfelves. The 
common cock generally makes the Turkey keep 
at a diftance. Indeed, the Turkey-cock will fly 
from the moft contemptible animal that boldly 
ventures to face him : on the contrary, he pur- 
fues any creature that feems to fear him with the 
moft cowardly infolence; particularly children 
and lap-dogs, to whom he feems to have a pe- 
culiar averfion. After fuch an exploit, he returns 
to his female train, difplays his plumage around, 
ftruts about the yard, and feems to exult in his 
valour. 
The female feems to be of a milder dirpofition„ 
She lays eighteen or twenty eggs, larger than 
thofe of the hen, which are whitifh, and fpeckled, 
or rather freckled, with dufky yellow fpots. 
Though extremely tender when young, her ofF- 
fpring become more hardy as they grow older, 
and accompany their parent to confiderable di- 
ftances, in purfuit of infedls, which they prefer to 
any other food ; confequently they are but of 
fmall expence to the farmer. 
The Turkies bred in Norfolk are faid to be the 
largeft of this ifland, weighing from twenty to 
thirty pounds each. But in the Eaft Indies, 
where they are known only in their donieftic 
ftate, they often weigh fifty or fixty pounds. 
The Turkey expands it's tail after the manner 
of the peacock : the neck and head are bare of 
feathers, and covered only with a purple or red- 
difli n<in, which, when the bird afllimes ftatelinefs, 
fwells, and is blown up as it were to a confider-' 
able 
