Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-11-27
GOBBLER USURPS EAGLE'S PLACE
AS "GREAT AMERICAN BIRD"
Roaned Forests by the
Millions in Early
Days.
- a. -
Name Is Believed to
Haze Originated in
London Mart.

With apologies to the bald eagle. it
is appropriate to refer to the turkey
as the great American bird. The as
sociation Of this species of fowl with
the Thanksgiving Day festivities
places it upon the highest pinnacle
of fame. The few specimens taken
back to Spain by Christopher Column
interest in that country, and subse-
quent imports of the bird within so
years stirred Europe to it's center.
The turkey--paVo or peacock In
Spain. dindon in France, trutkahn
in Germany and kalkun in Scandi-
navian countrieS-WaS found by mill
lions in the forests of North America,
Central America and Mexico when
the white men came to the Western
shores.
The name given to the turkey is a
little obscure. but it seems to have
arisen in London from an almost
trivial circumstance. 1t appears that
about the time of the birth of Queen
Elizabeth hardy navigator brought
consignment of these birds from
America to the London market. Pur-
veyors of the aristocratic houses of
London found them, bought them,
tried them and then wanted more.
London tradesmen were asked the
name of the fowl, and, because every
thing then was brought from Tur-,
key. those asking for the information
were told that they came from Tur-
key, and they were known for many
years in the London markets as those
Turkey BIRDS This is one of many
tales told to account for the strange
naming Of the American bird, and
is probably as good as any. The
turkey has been domesticated, IS far
came a large factor in domestic COM
merce.
Once Turkey State.
Rhode Island, for many years, held
chief prominence as the turkey-rais-
ing State.
Now Tennessee, Missouri, Iowa, Ne
braska and Kentucky dispute su
premacy and literally send millions
OF these birds annually TO market to
be consumed largely at Thanksgiving
and Christmas feasts. An estimate
made by a commission merchant on
Louisiana avenue places the annual
consumption of turkeys in Washing
ton at 10000 He said it was only d
guess. as there was way of know
ing with accuracy how many are eaten.
The scientific name given the tur-
key is Meleagridae. Meleaser, in an
ancient Greek legend, was leader of
the Calydonian hunt, VINO saved the
beautiful Princess Atalanta from the
savage attack of wild boar, and
thereby gained fame. This scientific
name seems just about as applicable
to the great American bird as turkey,
but it has the approval of science,
and that Is enough. Three varieties
made up the original stock of wild
turkeys on this continent They were
the gallopavo of New England and
the greater part of North America,
the ocellata of Honduras and the
mexicana of Mexico. A fourth variety
| is supposed to have. inhab the
West India islands, from which the
| birds taken to Spain by Column bus
were obtained. From these, in the
course of 400 years, SIX varieties have
been evolved, known as the bronze,
Narragansett, buzz, slate. g, white and
| black. The white and black BIRDS are
freaks" from the afhree original
| species. -, = r.,,-- ~
! The turkey has neverm been mo