WILD TURKEY. 
177 
JWugliout the world, almost universally constituting 
.'I,'°urite banquet dish. 
W lle turkey, belonging originally to the American 
Client, was necessarily unknown to the ancients, 
<|3 in this as in a thousand other instances, were 
"t in our most common and essential articles of 
*Hh ' . Readers unacquainted with the fact, may well be 
l,i r )' r ‘sed to learn, that, although the introduction of this 
i,| r u 'i‘to Europe is comparatively modern, its origin has 
■'f H. Uly been lost sight of, and that eminent naturalists 
of • e last century, who lived so much nearer to the time 
O first appearance, have expressed great uncertainty 
(."truing its. native country. Thus Belon, Aldrovandi, 
f^er, Kay, &c. thought that it came originally 
rW Africa and the East Indies, and endeavoured to 
kl’guire it in some of the domestic birds of the ancients. 
, ‘'>11 ,„j it to have been men- 
Nd 
'"V A l in UV111V V.V — 
and Aldrovandi supposed it to have been men- 
\ ' H by ancient authors, but they mistook for it the 
fij r meleagris of Linue, which is actually an African 
itji ,’ low almost naturalized in America, even in a 
at,] state, so that it would be apparently more reason- 
tL 6 f or America to regard that bird ns indigenous, 
Ct tllat the old continent should lay claim to the 
tiif l y. In o soon losing sight, of the origin of this 
>l; ' ’ " e see a strong exemplification of the ungrateful 
r, J( ration of man, who can durably treasure up the 
the T °f wrongs and injuries, but fails to recollect 
of .latest benefits he has received. It would be loss 
Hi 6 *° combat the arguments advanced by authors, 
A ' J We deceived themselves in attempting to deprive 
, ca of lier just title to this bird, since they nave 
Wf 11 ,u Hy refuted by the eloquent Button ; but wo may 
W * utr °duce a sketch of its progress from America 
qJJghout Europe. 
V W first unquestionable description of the turkey 
hi' rWtten by Oviedo, in 1525, in the summary ot 
. i “ istnt- 1, th.. Indies. This bird was sent from 
0 r me !»»•»• Th ‘s bird was sent fro™ 
’iMin u to Wain early, 
£ Qtitoi-y 0 f t i ie Indies, 
S, lco ‘ 
;;^Zd3 into England in 1524. Turkeys 
Z ,ak cii to France in the reign of Francis the First, 
IV. M 
