Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1843-02-04
THE WILD TURKEY.

MEssns. GAYLORD g. TUCKER In Your
replies TO an .'Enquirer.'' iii relation to
Poultry in late Cultivator, you say.
..We are not aware that the Wild Turkey
has ever been crossed with the domestic
one, or that u successful attempt has been
made to doplest:calc them Such attempts
appear 10 he scorned equally by the Wild
Turkey and the PARTRIDGE
am sure you will excuse me for re-
mndihg you that the wild turkey and the
domestic turkey, are dentically the same
animal. the HABITS OF the bird alone hav-
ing been modified by domestica.on.
Very few people know that this is peouli-
arly an Amer.can bird; that the wild .ur-
key was caught in our forests, and carried
to Europe in 1910, believe, and thence
sprung The whole brood Of domes,i: tur.
keys Of Europe; and thai was at leas,
Que instance OF successful! attempt to
domesticate it. AS to crossing, Mr.. Au-
dubon, in his splendid work, the .Birds Of
America" says, "Wild Turkeys often
approach and associate with tame ones, Or
fight with Them and drive them off from
their food. The cocks sometimes pay
their addresses TO the do.nestcated te-
males, and are generally received by them
with great pleasure, as we'll as by their
owners, who are we'll aware OF tho adj
vantages resulting from such intrusions,
the hal breed being much more hardy
than the tame, and consequently more
easily rcured.'' When a wild turkey has
been kept three or four years, it often
changes color mo.e or less, whl,e .ealh-
ers appear, &c. The effects OF! Jomes,i-
eating his bird. are a variety oil color,
and more dellcacy OF constitution. The
domestic turkey has often been known to
stray CIT. and assume all the habits of the
wild ols, ana ia the course y. two or
three generations their color evCn as
sunes the fixed characters oil the wild bird !.
So far as known, there are no varieties Of
the turkey; color being the only d fer
CAGE between amy o! them. !: Is said TO
require several generations TO fix the
habits OF the bird by domcsIlcation, and
these habits he is always llabie TO lose
Your readers, | am sure, would be- much
pleased with on opportunll, TO read the
chapter on this most valuable of birds,
contained in Mr.. Audubon's admirable
work above referred to.-I5.
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RC.E FOR AscERTAISING THE WEIGHT OF
CATTLE BY MEASUREMENT. Il correspo.l-
.dcul sends the following from an English
.paper:-" Measure the girt close behind
The shoulder, aud the length from the
fore par! Of the shoulder blade along the
back to the bone at the tail, which is in q
vertical line wit! the bullock, both in
feet. Multiply the square OF tie girt ex-
pressed in feet, by five times the length,
and dl,jd the product by 81, tho quolient
will be the weight of the four quarters in
imperia stonss al IA lbs. avoirdupols.--
Example :-l' the gift be 6A feet, and the
length ST feet, we Shall Lave 6! multi
piled by 64-4s4, ana 81 multiplied by
5-g64; then 42l multiplied by 265=
,lUY i-l6; anu this divided by II gives
SO is stones. nearly, or SO stones III
pounds. 1t is TO be observed, However,
that iii very ia, cattle. the four quarters
will lie abou, 100 more; white i'll those
in very an state, it will be 100 less
than The weight obtained by rule
Is.