Show 01 1 1 SCIENTIFIC The Domestic Turkey A FEW days during the summer of 1892 which I spent in the state library s of Iowa afforded me an opportunity to examine some old books not commonly accessible and among other subjects which I read up as much as time would permit was the origin of the domestic turkey Until quite recently the origin of the turkey was as uncertain as is the origin of most of our domestics domestic s l animals The generic name given to the b turkey is the ancient name for forthe forthe the guinea fowl and i it t was probably given l to the turkey under the impression that r the turkey was the bird known to the ancients by that name Its popular l na name ne turkey was probably given the thet t bird under the erroneous impression that it originally came carne from the country of that name The truth is that the turkey f is a native of N North rth America When F Mexico was first discovered early in In 1500 this bird had been thoroughly domesticated domesticated domesticated by the Indians and in 1526 Oviedo describes a kind of peacock comm common common in the West islands as a d domestic domestic do do- bird From what Oviedo says says of his peacock one is forced to think I that he means the turkey It is said to have been into England in 1541 and by 1575 it was common among the English farmers It Itis Itis Itis is said at the time of the conquest of Mexico by Cortez Montezuma had an extensive zoological garden and that the turkey formed the principal food of the animals kept therein Absolutely Absolutely Absolutely no idea can can be formed as to the time when the Mexicans first domesticated domesticated domesticated this bird Careful observation shows that there are at least three species of turkey which are found wild The gallo avo is found from Mexico co to the Great Lakes and from the Missouri River east to the Atlantic Ocean The Mexicana ranges over Mexico and far north along the Rocky Mountains and west of them while the i is found from the southern part of Mexico to The last named is a much smaller bird than either of the others but the eye spots on its tail gives it a very striking appearance The domestic turkey has descended the Mexicana In the wild state the M. M Mexicana is s distinguished by the tips of its tail feathers being either black whitish or reddish while the same feathers on the M. M gallo ava are chestnut-brown chestnut in color The turkey is rapidly becoming extinct as a wild bird but it has won a place in the poultry yard which will ensure its perpetuation as long Jong as people eat thanksgiving dinners Notwithstanding its great size and strength its relations with other domestic domestic domestic do do- birds are almost always pleasant A and it often assumes the role of peacemaker peacemaker peacemaker peace peace- maker when other fowls engage in useless useless useless use use- less quarrels C. C A. A Whiting i |