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In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed... No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people. Preface to 1828 Dictionary
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TUR'KEY
An empire in the southeast of Europe and southwest of Asia.
Turkey carpet, a superior kind of carpet made in
Asia Minor and adjoining countries, having a deep pile and composed of pure
wool with a weft of different material. It is distinguishable by its
coloring and patterns from similar carpets made in India and
elsewhere. -- Turkey oak. (Bot.) See
Cerris. -- Turkey red. Any large
American gallinaceous bird belonging to the genus Meleagris,
especially the North American wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), and
the domestic turkey, which was probably derived from the Mexican wild
turkey, but had been domesticated by the Indians long before the discovery
of America.
* The Mexican wild turkey is now considered a variety of the northern species (var. Mexicana). Its tall feathers and coverts are tipped with white instead of brownish chestnut, and its flesh is white. The Central American, or ocellated, turkey (M. ocellata) is more elegantly colored than the common species. See under Ocellated. The Australian, or native, turkey is a bustard (Choriotis australis). See under Native. Turkey beard (Bot.), a name of certain American perennial liliaceous herbs of the genus Xerophyllum. They have a dense tuft of hard, narrowly linear radical leaves, and a long raceme of small whitish flowers. Also called turkey's beard. -- Turkey berry (Bot.), a West Indian name for the fruit of certain kinds of nightshade (Solanum mammosum, and S. torvum). -- Turkey bird (Zoöl.), the wryneck. So called because it erects and ruffles the feathers of its neck when disturbed. [Prov. Eng.] -- Turkey buzzard (Zoöl.), a black or nearly black buzzard (Cathartes aura), abundant in the Southern United States. It is so called because its naked and warty head and neck resemble those of a turkey. Its is noted for its high and graceful flight. Called also turkey vulture. -- Turkey cock (Zoöl.), a male turkey. -- Turkey hen (Zoöl.), a female turkey. -- Turkey pout (Zoöl.), a young turkey. [R.] -- Turkey vulture (Zoöl.), the turkey buzzard. | ||||||||