The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-11-20

keys. They are part of the Powhatans, and I'M
der an old colonial treaty they pay no taxes and
nave their own government. They must, how
ever, send to the governor of Virginia each year
a gift of game or fowl; and very often this gift
takes the form of several large. plump turkeys.
Many have been the explanations made as to
how the bird now so popular at Thanksgiving
came to be called the turkey, most of which, to
the true scientist, are nothing but ~fanciful. One
such is the explanation that 1t comes from the
East Indian word "toka," which, in Hebrew. takes
the form "tukki," the peacock. AS the Jews in
South Europe were acquainted with this fowl,
which is related, it is assumed that they naturally
applied the word to the turkey wherever it was
introduced into Spain. and that thereafter 1t was
so called.
Such a roundabout way explanation, say those
who know, is entirely unnecessary. The bird
was called turkey because it was supposed to
come from Turkey, where 1t was known as an
Egyptian hen. This, it is claimed, is merely In
accordance with a habit very general in the six
teenth century. Whenever new and strange
things were presented to an ignorant public,
knowledge spread slowly, but superstition was
deep, and hearsay was taken for truth. The mar
kets of North Europe received this fowl as CON-
ing from South Europe. directly or indirectly
from Turkey.
In France, however, the bird was called din
don" or in the feminine "dinde," as though it
were the fowl dInde-from India. The Mexican
name for the bird is 'huajolote." which scientists
claim, indicates the old Aztec knowledge of the
turkey.
But whatever dispute has arisen as to the
name of the turkey, the fact yet remains that the
turkey is indigenous to America. Although
scientists believe it is possible that there was a
species. the original of the present turkey, in
digenous to the West Indian islands, it is generally
conceded that all turkeys have descended in some
way or other from the three forms known today
as the North American, the Mexican and the
Honduras, the ocellated varieties.
The Mexican turkey is found wild throughout
the republic. 1t is short in shank, with feathers
on its body of a metallic black shaded only slight.
ly with bronze, while all it's feathers are tipped
with white. This appears to be the species first
taken to Spain and other European countries.
1t is thought that the white markings of the
variety of domestic turkey known today as the
Narragansett come from this species.
The Honduras turkey today is scattered all
over most of Central America and is extremely
wild. 1t has a freer flight than it's cousins of the
North. The head and neck of this bird are naked.
The ground color of the piumage is a beautiful
bronze green. banded with bold bronze, blue and
red, with bands of brilliant black. This bird.
however, cannot be bred successfully nor domes-
tcated away from its native habitat, while even
there it can hardly be successfully domesticated.
The bronze turkey, that variety which today
holds the place of honor in the North American
group of turkeys, is outdone by none when ir
comes to beauty or size.
In the United States there are six standard
varieties recognized and grown. They are the
bronze, Narragansett. buff. slate, white and black.
The chief differences are in size and color of
plumage. The bronze and Narragansett are the
largest, the bun and slate medium, while the
white and black are the smallest. Within late
years, however, the white variety has reached
such a point of popularity that it has Increased
in size, until with some dealers 1t occupies third
place.
Whatever the turkey may have missed through
failing to secure that place of honor suggested
for it by BENJAMIN Franklin-as the national bird
lit has nevertheless found a place in the regard
of the American people which is held by no other
fowl,