The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1902-11-29

of America should abstain from I
turkey on Thanksgiving day"
While the authorship Of the I
above quotation has been ques-
toned some even attributing 1t to Wash
ington, it is now generally conceded to
have emanated from the lips of Alex
ander Hamilton. 1t appears that at a
banquet given by number or congress
men on the first national celebration
of Thanksgiving in 1789-and, by the
way. we are Indebted to the fertile
! brain of Hamilton for the setting aside
of this day as national holiday-the
/ turkey was conspicuous for it's alb
sence. Clamor for our largest OF game
| birds, which had served, or, rather, |
been served, so acceptatly on all feast
days since the first Thanksgiving of
the pilgrims, was of no avail, and
motion to dispense with the fowl was
finally made simply because there
seemed no alternative. But this was
hooted down, Hamilton Joining the
opposition with the emphatic senti-
ment above noted.
Since it is strictly an American bird,
the name seems misnomer, probably
originating with its first Introduction
into Europe early in the sixteenth CEN
fury, when by some means 1t was sup
posed to have come from the Ottoman
empire.
The Mammoth Bronze the largest
and most popular domesticated variety,
ia descendant Of the Mexican turkey,
Indigenous in the Mexican tablelands,
4 found also in New Mexico and Arzo-
4 IA. The prevalent notion that 1t Is
crossed with the wild turkey Of the
4 eastern slope is denied by the manag-
ers of the Smithsonian institution, who
in exhibiting fine stuffed specimen OF
d the latter at the Pan-American stated
that at is not progenitor OF the do
nestle turkey
d That the wild nature, like that of the
Indian, is never wholly eradicated Is
d most apparent at nesting time. Then
the most stupid in appearance OF al
= the denizens of the poultry yard be
comes suddenly the most wary an6
It cunning. Unlike the busting hen
which never lays an egg without pro
J. claiming the fact to the entire neigh
borhood, Mistress Turkey quietly slips
away from the rest of the flock, feed
ing as she goes thereby detracting at
tention from her real purpose. II un
molested, she proceeds by more OF
less circuitous route, carefully placing
dead leaves or bits of grass or straw
over each treasure with her bill, 81
that unless one finds her on the nest O
sees her enter 1t Is almost Impossible
. to discover her secret. Any indication
A. of surveillance increases her secretive
an ness, and the strategy sometimes adopt
No ed to thwart her pursuer is surprisin
in the extreme.
,is Hunting the turkeys nest usual
M falls to the lot Of an adult, children bt
n ing. as rule, not shrewd enough I
be follow the slender clew to the en'
on Patience for hours-yea, ofttimes DAY
nd lis required. One must expect to |
ty. led on many detours perchance to 81
ma the hen settle down in nook qui
remote from the nest, hoping theret
70. to elude her pursuer. Ii unsuccessf'
70. I'm this ruse she may even retui
re- home, thinking to slip away later u
,ad noticed. The following incident iiiu
stv trates, perhaps in an extreme degre
her tactics
has A hen had been followed daily +
Le." several days, but without success. II
grown up boy of the family was qui
, q inclined TO make sport OF the repeat
nm. failures and finally volunteered
services. He watched the hen sta
Inc along the roadside bordering uia
- fo
no guiar "oou nv - -, 90,
no. bly, took. From behind the rail- zen
Won he noted her progress, picking ne
nod and there, vending her way $40"
80 vet evidently alert to the presence
w., INV intruder Sometimes she appear
~, susnic,ous. but would again resul
nrs her way in an unconcerned mann
49, When the apex of the triangle W
-, reached, she as deliberately. AFTER
800 tie maneuvering, worked her way
80 the adjacent side. Meantime the
= ahmed through the low bushes aio
the third side Of the triangle that
might better watch her movemeI
tfu, The gobbler, which had paraded pt
,,ar and forth In the same field through
81, entire morning, was now unusus
80 profuse with his "gobbles." AS
800 hen reached point opposite ner III
WIZ turkey talk was redoubled for
minutes. Then he resumed his fori
's, us occupation Of strutting and goppil
'ainS and she wendell her way along une
me. cernedIy. As she reached the spot
wing poe''e a,~oc+Iv from her D,
in walked up to the fence and pee