MELEAGRIS

MELEAGRIS, in ornithology, the ΓΥΡΑΚΥ; a genus of birds belonging to the order of gallinæ. The head is covered with spongy caruncles; and there is likewise a membranaceous longitudinal caruncle on the throat.

There is but one (A) species, viz. the gallopavo, or North American turkey of Ray. It has a caruncle both on the head and throat; and the breast of the male is bearded or tufted. He lives upon grain and insects: when the cock struts, he blows up his breast, spreads and erects his feathers, relaxes the caruncle on the forehead, and the naked parts of the face and neck become intensely red. Barbot informs us that very few turkeys are to be met with in Guinea, and those only in the hands of the chiefs of the European forts; the negroes declining to breed any on account of their tenderness, which sufficiently proves them not to be natives of that climate. He also remarks, that neither the common poultry nor ducks are natural to Guinea any more than the turkey. Neither is that bird a native of Asia: the first that were seen in Persia were brought

Meleagris, brought from Venice by some Armenian merchants. They are bred in Ceylon, but not found wild. In fact, the turkey, properly so called, was unknown to the ancient naturalists, and even to the old world, before the discovery of America. It was a bird peculiar to the new continent; and is now the commonest wild-fowl in the northern parts of that country, where they are frequently met with by hundreds in a flock: in the day-time they frequent the woods, where they feed on acorns; and return at night to the swamps to roost, which they do on the trees. They are frequently taken by means of dogs, though they run faster for a time; but the dogs persisting in the pursuit, the birds soon grow fatigued, and take to the highest trees, where they will suffer themselves to be shot one after another if within reach of the marksman. This fowl was first seen in France in the reign of Francis I. and in England in that of Henry VIII. By the date of the reign of these monarchs, the first turkies must have been brought from Mexico, the conquest of which was completed A. D. 1521. Aelian mentions a bird found in India, which some writers have suspected to be the turkey; but Mr Pennant concludes with Gesner, that it was either the peacock, or some bird of that genus.

The turkey-hen begins to lay early in the spring, and will often produce a great number of eggs, which are white, marked with reddish or yellow spots, or rather freckles. She sits well, and is careful of her young; of which in this climate she will often have from fourteen to seventeen for one brood: but she scarce ever sits more than once in a season, except allured thereto by putting fresh eggs under her as soon as the first set are hatched; for as she is a close sitter, she will willingly remain two months on the nest, tho' this conduct, as may be supposed, is said greatly to injure the bird. Turkies are bred in quantities in some of the northern counties of England, and are driven up to London towards autumn for sale in flocks of several hundreds, which are collected from the several cottages about Norfolk, Suffolk, and neighbouring counties, the inhabitants of which think it well worth their while to attend carefully to them, by making these birds a part of their family during the breeding season. It is pleasing to see with what facility the drivers manage them, by means of a bit of red rag fastened to the end of a stick, which, from their antipathy to it as a colour, acts with the same effect as a scourge to a quadruped.

Of the turkey there are several varieties, which have arisen from domestication. The most common is dark grey inclining to black, or barred dusky white and black. There is also a beautiful variety of a fine deep copper colour, with the greater quills pure white, and the tail of a dirty white; it is when old a most beautiful bird. A variety with a pure white plumage is also now not unfrequent, and appears very beautiful. It was once esteemed as a great rarity, and the breed supposed originally to have arisen in Holland. In the Leverian Museum is also a common turkey, with a large tuft of feathers on its head, much resembling one figured by Albin.