Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1916-11-30

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descended from the three forms known
as the North American bird, which has
just been described; the Mexican bird
and the ocellated bird.
Credit May Belong to spaniards.
The turkey which was first INTRO
duced into Europe may have been car
red there by the Spaniards from Mex
leo or the JeSuits may have taken II
back across the waters from one OF
their scattered stations In the great
woods of Canada. In any event one
of its representatives figured at the
marriage banquet of Charles lN and
was regarded as of sufficient impor-
tance to be mentioned IN the reports
of that festivity.
The Mexican turkey is the wild bird
of Mexico, which also came over the
line into the southern part of the
United States. McleagriS Gallopava
Is the name that is generally employed
to describe this turkey. 1t is some
what shorter in the shank than the
northern species. Its body color is
a metallic black, shaded with bronze.
This is thought to be the species that
the early navigators first bore back
to Spain and England. The white tips
of its plumage also have suggested
that it is to this bird rather than to
the wild turkey of North America
that most of the domestic fowls owe
their origin.
The ocellated turkey, MeleagriS Ocel-
lata, which is smaller than the 9TH
ers, has bare head and neck. Its
body plumage is bronze and green,
banded with gold bronze and varied
with spots or eyes of brilliant colOrs--
blue, red and brilliant black.
Why Is Turkey So Named7
Why the turkey is called the tur-
key when its origin is admittedly pure
ly occidental is subject that has puz-
Zled many persons. There are several
reasons given by those who have
delved deeply into this problem, and
one is privileged to take his choice.
In the first place, it is stated that the
turkey was originally supposed to
have come from Asia. Thus at a
time when great stretch of territory
on the Asiatic continent was called
Turkey" the bird derived its name
from its supposed origin. Another
speculative chronicler records that the
Indians called the bird "tirkee" and
that from this its common name was
created. Then, again, it is somewhat
generally believed that the bird named
itself by its peculiar utterances which
are still translated as "turk-turk-
turkee." Again, still more subtle philos-
OpherS have traced the naming of
the bird to its llSnship in the matter
of polygamous habits with the Turks
and there are other explanations.
The pilgrims were not so bad Oft
In some ways as we have been led to
imagine, for although they were de-
prived of the joys of timed meats and
vegetables and cold storage and sim
liar blessings turkeys were so plenti-
full that it is recorded it was custom
airy to refer to them as bread An
other chronicler sets forth the fact
that the breast of the wild turkey
when cooked in butter was esteemed
by even the epicures among the ex
plorers. But in spite of their abun-
dance turkeys were regarded with ia
vor even by the red men, if one is to
judge by the following prayer which
they uttered:
"Oh great Being. I thank thee that
l have obtained the use of my legs
again so that am able to walk about
and kill turkeys"