Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1915-11-19

keys. They part of The Powhatans, and I'M
der an old colonial treaty they pay taxes and
have their own government. They must. now
ever send to the governor of Virginia each year
a gift of game or fowl and very often this GIT
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 fancifdr
such is the explanation that it comes from the
East Indian word "toka." which, in Hebrew. takes
the form "tukki, the peacock. AS the Jews In
South Europe acquainted with this fowl.
which is related it is assumed that they naturally
applied the word to the turkey wherever 1t was
INTRODUCED into Spain, and that thereafter 1t was
SO called.
Such roundabout way explanation. say those
who know. is entirely unnecessary. The bird
was called turkey because 1t was supposed to
come from Turkey where it known as all
Egyptian hen. This, it is claimed is merely in
accordance with habit very general in the six
teenth century Whenever new and strange
things were presented to 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 COM
ing from South Europe. directly 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 1t is possible that there was
species. the original of the present turkey, in
digenous to the West Indian islands, 1t is generally
conceded that all turkeys have descended in some
way or other from the three forms known today
fha NOrfh AM ha nd tha
Honduras. the ocellated varieties.
The Mexican turkey is found wild throughout
the republic. 1t is short in shank. with feathers
on its body Of metallic black shaded only slight
ly with bronze, while all its 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 the
Narragansett come from this species.
The Honduras turkey today Is scattered all
over most of Central America and is extremely
wild 1t has freer fight than its cousins OF the
North. The head and neck of this bird are Naked
The ground color of the plumage is a beautiful
bronze green. banded with bold sbronze, blue and
red, with bands of brilliant black. This bird
however. cannot be bred successfully nor domes
ticated 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 u outdone by none when It
comes to beauty or size
In the United States there are six standard
varieties recognized and grown They are the
bronze. Narragansett, bun, slate. white and black
The chief differences are in size and color Of
plumage. The bronze and Narragansett are the
largest. the bun aid slate medium. while the
white and black are the smallest. Within late
years. however the white variety has reached
such point OF popularity that It has increased
in size. until with soma dealers 1t occupies third
place II
Whatever the turkes ~ have missed through
failing to secure tlat piacA Of honor suggested
for It BY Benjamin Franklin essthe national bird
lit has neverthelef found a ice in the regard
fowl. Nx
D !.