The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-11-27
SOME TURKEY LORE.
HISTORY AND HABITS OF THE MA
TIONAL BIRD.

1t Is True American, and No Genus of
Its Species Is n Native of the Old World.
Our Domestic Gobbler Is n Descendant
of the Wild Turkey of Mexico.
The turkey is deserving of special SYM
patty inasmuch as it may be regarded
fairly as the representative American bird.
Its likeness would be moro appropriate
than that of the eagle as the national en-
blcm. No species of its genus is a native
Of the old world. When the Spanish con-
ouorors came to Mexico, they saw and
wrote homo about the turkey. They dc
scribed it as u kind of peacock. MontcZu-
ma had one of the greatest geological col
lcCtions ever got together, comprising near
ly all the animals of the country, TO which
were added many brought from afar. He
was very proud Of his mcnagerie, on which
great sums of money were spent. Large
numbers of turkeys We're furnished alive
as food to the carnivorous beasts. At that
period turkeys mad already been domesti-
Gated for centuries in the land Of the Az
tees. and they were reared in much the
same way rs at present.
From Mexico the domesticated turkey
was brought to the West Indies as early az
Spaniards, and the delicacy of its flesh be-
ing highly appreciated, it soon spread over
the greater part of Europe. In the reign
of Francis it was imported into France.
The first one eaten in that country is said
to have been served at banquet on the
occasion OF the wedding of Charles TX.
This was In 1870 The bird was bred with
much care and not long afterward it found
its way into Africa and Asia In 1541 it
was introduced into England. Although
these facts are beyond dispute, there was
question for u long time as to the origin of
the turkey. In Great Britain it was pop
ularly supposed to have come from Tur-
key, and hence the name given to it.
The most remarkable event in tho his
tory of the turkey, however, remains to be
told. From Europe it was brought to the
United States, and it is the descendants of
these imported birds that appear on our
Thanksgiving tables, trusscd and Drowned,
with giblet gravy for an appetizing accom-
paniment In fact, our domestic turkey Is
the Mexican bird-a different species from
the familiar wild turkey of this country.
The notion so widely held that the barn
yard turkey is this wild turkey domesti-
Gated is an cror. 1t was first proved to be
such by tho late Spencer +. Baird, former
ton; hence the difficulty of mating wild
turkeys with tame ones. The wild turkeys
of Mexico today, on the other hand, are
just like our tame turkeys, being de-
rived from the same original stock. They
have the same white meat - decidedly
whittier than that of the wild turkeys of
tho United Statcs-and they exhibit other
licensees in addition.
There arc two species of wild turkeys in
North America. One is confined to the
eastern and southern United States and
the other to the southern Rocky mountain
region and adjacent parts of Texas New
Mexico and as far south as OriZaba. In n
word, one species belongs to eastern and
tho other to middle north America. Our
barnyard turkeys are derived from the
latter stock The differences between the
two species are not so marked as to excite
the attention of the casual observer In
tho Mexican or barnyard fowl the tips of
the tail feathers and the feathers overly
ing the base of the tail are creamy white.
Tho same feathers in the wild turkey Of
the eastern United States arc brown al
ways.
In view of the facts here stated, the
Mexican wild turkey of today becomes in
tcresting. 1t is Il very shy bird and lives
in families like the goose Scntincls are
kept ON watch while the flocks feed. The
female lays l. brownish red spotted eggs,
which are Matched in 30 days. 1t feeds on
various kinds of berries and fruits and pre-
fers pecan nuts to any other diet when
they can be found Its habits in all i'm
portant respects are like those of the wild
turkey Of the United States
When migrating, if they reach 4 river
which they want to cross, the turkeys wait
on the near bank for Il day or two, for
consultation apparently. Meanwhile the
males gohblc continually and strut about
with lowered wings ard expanded tails.
When the proper timC arrives, the entire
flock rises to the tops of the heighest trees,
and, ut Il signal from the leader, the birds
launch themselves in tho air and fly to the
opposite shore. Should the stream be
wide the young and feeble individuals are
apt to miss the point aimed at and fall
into the water. They swim ashore with
much dcztcrity, closing their wings, using
the expanded tail for a support and strik
in; out rapidly with their long and pow
erful legs. Sometimes, if the bank is very
steep, Il few may be unable to ascend, and,
falling back from unsuccessful attempts,
they are drowned.
In Eucatan and Guatemala is found a
third species Of turkey, which is one of the
most beautiful birds known to the orni-
biologist. Its feathers blaze with metallic
reflections Of gold. green, blue and bronze
Ii somewhat less in size than the other
two kinds. Its tail is ornamcnted with
eyes like those of the peacock This spe-
Cies is called the ''occllatCd' turkey.