Tom Balch, age 11, of Clinton, New York, for his question:

Did turkeys originate in Turkey?

The turkey and his wild ancestors originated in the Americas and this New World bird was introduced into the Old World by early Spanish explorers. We are not so certain about the origin of his odd name. Even experts hold different opinions about it. Some claim that, in a way, the turkey chose his own name. As he mutters to himself, he repeats a phrase that sounds like turk turk turk. Surely, it would seem logical to call him the turkey.

Other experts disagree with this simple deduction and seek to explain his name on the basis of his travels. In the 1500s, the Spanish took him to Africa and Europe. Europeans confused him with the guinea fowls imported from Africa by way of Turkey. Assuming that Turkey was their native home, they called both of them turkey birds. But, of course, ail the turkeys now residing in Turkey or any other part of the Old World are descended from ancestors that originated fn America, their native home