turkey (2)

[According to Edgar Richardson, the name of the bird described below is not derived from the country of Turkey, but through the Heb. tukkia peacock, from the Tamil toka a peacock. The bird is a native of America, and when first carried to Europe was taken to Spain on the return of the expedition of Hernando Cortez. There the curiosities and products of the new world were handled by the Jews, who then, as now, were a commercial people. When the bird was shipped to England, its Hebrew name followed it, and was easily corrupted by the English by the interpolation of an r, and thence to its present spelling. The sim ilarity of the spellings of the country and the name of the bird seem to have misled popular belief to the idea that the fowl was a native of the Turkish empire and took its name thence.] Ornith.: Any species of the genus Meleagris (q. v.). It has long been popularly supposed that these birds, which were first introduced into England about 1541, came from Turkey, instead of from America, was really the case. largest of the Game Birds, and for that reason have They are the been domesticated for a great length of time. All the species have the head naked, with wattles or folds of bright naked skin, which becomes much more brilliant when the bird is excited or angry, and curious tuft of long hair on the breast. The plumage is always more or le metallic. The Common Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo , is brownish yellow on the upper parts of the body, and each feather has a broad resplendent black edge, hinder portions of the back-feathers and tail-coverts dark reddish-brown, striped with green and black; breast yellowish-brown, darkest at sides; belly and sides brownish-gray; rump-feathers pale black, with a darker edge; fore parts of head and throat pale sky blue, warts on face bright red. They often weigh from twenty to sixty pounds, and measure at least three feet in height; but the wild birds are much finer than the domesticated race, which, contrary to the general rule, has degenerated under the care of man. They are gregarious, and inhabit the eastern portion of North America, feeding on gra , grain, insects, fruit, . The domesticated birds may be seen in every farm-yard, and large numbers are bred and fattened. The Ocellated Turkey, M. ocellata , a very fine and brilliantly-colored species, having eye-like markings on the tail feathers and upper wing-coverts, is found in Honduras and Yucatan. The other species, M. mexi can a , from Central America, Mexico, and the tablelands of the Rocky Mountains, closely resembles M. gallopavo , and is popularly known as the Mexican Turkey. Turkey-berries, s . pl . IMG:content-1560.png:[blocks in formation] acquired some cutaneous disease. Turkish-greyhound, s. Zool.: A small-sized dog, somewhat resembling an English greyhound in shape, but entirely hairle , or with only a few hairs on the tail. It is of no value as a sporting dog, but makes a faithful and affectionate pet. Turkish-hemidactyle, s . Zool.: Hem i dactylus verruculatus , a Gecko from the hotter districts near the Mediterranean Sea. Turkish-saddle, s . [SELLA-TURCICA.] Turkish-tobacco, s . Bot .: Nicotiana rustic a . Türk'-ish-ly, adv . [Eng. Turkish ; -ly.] In the manner of the Turks; like a Turk. Türk-ish-ne , *Turk-ish-nes, subst . [Eng. Turkish; -ne .] The religion, manners, character, or the like of the Turks; Turcism. "Contemnynge of knowledge and learninge, set tinge at nought, and having for a fable, God and his highe pro vidence, will bringe us, I say, to a more ungracious Turk ishnes, if more Turkishnes can be than this, than if the Turkes had sworne to brynge all Turkye against us."Ascham: Toxophilus , bk. 1. Türk-mạn, s . [TURKOMAN.] Tûr-ko, s . [TURCO.] Tûr-ko-mạn, s. [A corruption of Turkimams Turks of the true faith.] [TURK.] One of a nomadic Tatar people, occupying a territory stretching between the Caspian Sea and the Sea of Aral, the Khanates of Khiva and Bokhara, Afghanistan, and Persia. They do not form a single nation, but are divided into numerous tribes or clans. Tür'-ko-phile, s. [TURCOPHIL.] Tür'-lu-pins, s . pl . [The origin of the word is unknown, though it is thought to be connected with wolfish or predatory habits. ( Blunt .)] Church Hist.: A name applied in contempt to the Brethren of the Free Spirit. They appear to have [BRETH Turkey-red, s. Chem.: One of the most beautiful and most durable colors which has yet been produced on cotton. It is obtained from madder by a very complicated proce , the theory of which is not perfectly understood. The four most e ential operations are: Thorough washing of the unbleached calico, impregnating it with an oily soap, mordanting with alumina, and immersing in a decoction of madder containing chalk and bullock's blood.