Teacher's Leaflet. 1185 



off " or strutting? What do you think is the bird's purpose in thus 

 exhibiting his fine feathers? Does the " King of the flock " permit any- 

 such action by other " Gobblers " in his company? 



(11). Are turkeys timid and cowardly or independent and brave, 

 ready to meet and fight anything which they think is threatening to 

 their comfort or safety? 



(12). When turkeys fight, what parts of their bodies seem to be used 

 as weapons? Does the male " gobble " during a fight, or only as a 

 challenge or a triumph when victorious? Do the hen turkeys ever 

 fight or only the males? 



Facts for teachers. — ^The writer is most familiar with the popular Bronze breed 

 of turkeys, of which a flock of forty-eight birds were under observation during the 

 preparation of this lesson. About half were yearling hens weighing fifteen to 

 twenty pounds each, eighteen " spring pullets " of eight to twelve pounds weight, 

 half a dozen young males and one magnificent thirty-pound " Gobbler " in his 

 third year of age, nicknamed " The Captain." The difference in appearance 

 between such an adult bird and the hens of his flock or the immature males is 

 very noticeable. 



The heads of all are covered with a warty and wrinkled skin, changeable in 

 color, and when the birds are not excited usually bluish white on the crown, 

 grayish blue about the eyes, and the other parts of a rich blood-red. Beneath 

 the throat is a hanging fold, called the wattle, and above the beak a fleshy, pointed 

 knob called a caruncle, which on the male extends to a long fold of skin, hanging 

 over and below the beak. The skin covering is much more extensive and brilliant 

 in color on the males than on the females. " The Captain " has a swollen, knobby 

 mass of skin hanging two inches or more below his wattle, forming what farmers 

 call " the beads " on the neck. In anger these carunculated parts of the skin 

 swell and grow more vivid in color, seeming to be gorged with blood. The eyes 

 are a bright, dark hazel, seeming all black until the head is held in the hand and 

 a thin red line of iris is noted. Just back of the eye is the ear, a mere hole in the 

 skin, yet it is very efficient and no smallest sound seems to escape it. The writer 

 tried to be very noiseless and " sneaky " in observing some of the birds by moon- 

 light when they were sound asleep with heads beneath their wings; but out came 

 the alert heads and all straightened up with complaining " quits " as soon as they 

 were approached. Young turkeys have legs nearly black, which fade to a brownish 

 gray as they mature. The legs and feet are large and stout, the middle toe of the 

 three forward ones being nearly twice the length of the one on either side; the 

 hind toe is shortest of the four. On the inner side of the male's legs about a third 

 of the space above the foot, is a wicked-looking spur, which is a most effective 

 weapon. So, too, is the slightly curved, short, stout, and sharp pointed beak, 

 which is yellowish at the tip and dark at the base. The wings are large and power- 

 ful, folded smoothly and high on the sides. Turkeys fly well and usually " roost 

 high;" the greater part of the flock mentioned chose the ridge-pole of the barn, 

 where it would certainly have taken some strenuous effort to get at them. They 

 are also great wanderers and never seem to be more than half-tamed; they thrive 

 best when allowed to forage in the fields and woods for part of their food. They 

 love grasshoppers and will peck field mice to death and eat them. 



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