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The domesticated turkey (''Meleagris gallopavo'') is a large poultry bird, one of the two species in the genus ''Meleagris'' and the same as the wild turkey. It was domesticated by the indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica at least 2,000 years ago, with the evidence pointing to what are today the central regions of Mexico.〔("UF researchers discover earliest use of Mexican turkeys by ancient Maya", at Eurekalert August 8, 2012 )〕 Turkey meat is a popular form of poultry, and turkeys are raised throughout temperate parts of the world, partially because industrialized farming has made it very cheap for the amount of meat it produces. Female domesticated turkeys are referred to as ''hens'' and the chicks may be called ''poults'' or ''turkeylings''. In the United States, the males are referred to as ''toms'', while in Europe, males are ''stags''. The great majority of domesticated turkeys are bred to have white feathers because their pin feathers are less visible when the carcass is dressed, although brown or bronze-feathered varieties are also raised. The fleshy protuberance atop the beak is the snood, and the one attached to the underside of the beak is known as a wattle. The English language name for this species is the result of an early misidentification of the bird with an unrelated species which was imported to Europe through the country of Turkey.〔(''Webster's II New College Dictionary'' ). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2005, ISBN 978-0-618-39601-6, p. 1217〕 ==History== The modern domesticated turkey is descended from one of six subspecies of wild turkey: ''Meleagris gallopavo'', found in the area bounded by the present Mexican states of Jalisco, Guerrero, and Veracruz〔C. Michael Hogan. 2008. (''Wild turkey: Meleagris gallopavo'', GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg )〕 Ancient Mesoamericans domesticated this subspecies, using its meat and eggs as major sources of protein and employing its feathers extensively for decorative purposes. The Aztecs associated the turkey with their trickster god Tezcatlipoca,〔(【引用サイトリンク】 Ancient North & Central American History of the Wild Turkey )〕 perhaps because of its perceived humorous behavior. Domestic turkeys were taken to Europe by the Spanish. Many distinct breeds were developed in Europe (e.g. Spanish Black, Royal Palm). In the early 20th century, many advances were made in the breeding of turkeys, resulting in breeds such as the Beltsville Small White. The 16th-century English navigator William Strickland is generally credited with introducing the turkey into England.〔Emett, Charlie (2003) (''Walking the Wolds'' ) Cicerone Press Limited, 1993 ISBN 1-85284-136-2〕〔M. F. Fuller (2004) (''The encyclopedia of farm animal nutrition'' ) ISBN 0-85199-369-9〕 His family coat of arms — showing a turkey cock as the family crest — is among the earliest known European depictions of a turkey.〔〔Peach, Howard (2001) ''(Curious Tales of Old East Yorkshire )'', p. 53. Sigma Leisure.〕 English farmer Thomas Tusser notes the turkey being among farmer's fare at Christmas in 1573.〔John Harland (''The house and farm accounts of the Shuttleworths of Gawthorpe Hall in the county of Lancaster at Smithils and Gawthorpe: from September 1582 to October 1621'' ) Chetham society, 1858〕 The domestic turkey was sent from England to Jamestown, Virginia in 1608. A document written in 1584 lists supplies to be furnished to future colonies in the New World; "turkies, male and female".〔James G. Dickson, National Wild Turkey Federation (U.S.), United States. Forest Service (''The Wild turkey: biology and management'' ) Stackpole Books, 1992 ISBN 0-8117-1859-X〕 Prior to the late 19th century, turkey was something of a luxury in the UK, with goose or beef a more common Christmas dinner among the working classes.〔(A Victorian Christmas ) ''Historic UK.com'' Retrieved December 26, 2010〕 In Charles Dickens' ''A Christmas Carol'' (1843), Bob Cratchit had a goose before Scrooge bought him a turkey.〔Charles Dickens (1843) (A Christmas carol in prose, being a ghost story of Christmas ) p.156. Bradbury & Evans〕 Turkey production in the UK was centered in East Anglia, using two breeds, the Norfolk Black and the Norfolk Bronze (also known as Cambridge Bronze). These would be driven as flocks, after shoeing, down to markets in London from the 17th century onwards - the breeds having arrived in the early 16th century via Spain.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 The Turkey Club UK )〕 Intensive farming of turkeys from the late 1940s dramatically cut the price, making it more affordable for the working classes. With the availability of refrigeration, whole turkeys could be shipped frozen to distant markets. Later advances in disease control increased production even more. Advances in shipping, changing consumer preferences and the proliferation of commercial poultry plants has made fresh turkey inexpensive as well as readily available. Recent genome analysis has provided researchers with the opportunity to determine the evolutionary history of domesticated turkeys, and their relationship to other domestic fowl. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Domesticated turkey」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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