406 NORTH AMEniCAX BIRDS. 



final extinction is probably only one of time, and that not very distant. In 

 Audubon's day they were to be found along the whole line of the Allegha- 

 nies, where they still occur, but have become very wary and to be approaclied 

 only with the greatest difficulty. In Louisiana and in Kentucky, Audubon 

 found them most aljundant, and in these States he enjoyed the most favor- 

 able opportunities for observing their very remarkable habits in regions then 

 comparatively undisturbed by the intrusion of civilized man. They are said 

 to be not uncommon in Virginia, and are not unfrequently met with even in 

 the vicinity of Washington. 



Dr. Woodhouse found this species abimdant throughout the wooded por- 

 tions of the Indian Territory and Texas. While in the Creek country liis party 

 killed numbers of them daily. JMany of them were very large, and weighed 

 upwards of nineteen pounds each, although at that time they were in poor con- 

 dition. They were quite abundant along the Eio San Pedro in Texas. 



Mr. Dresser found the AVild Turkey common in all the portions of Texas 

 and Mexico that he visited, and particularly so on the rivers between San 

 Antonio and the Eio Grande. His first Turkey hunt was on the Upper 

 Medina Eiver, about forty miles from San Antonio. It proved to be wary 

 and difficult to approach in the daytime ; but by watching to see where 

 they roosted, and visiting them by moonlight, one or two could generally be 

 secured. Tliey generally preferred roosting in high cottonwood-trees, on 

 the banks of a stream, perching as high up as possible. He once saw eleven 

 Turkeys on one large bough of a cottonwood-tree on the ^ledina. When 

 tlie pecan-nuts are ripe the Turkeys become very fat, as they are extremely 

 fond of these nuts, which are very oily. One very plump bird was found, 

 after it had been dressed, to weigh sixteen pounds. Mr. Dresser was in- 

 formed by the hunters, that, for a nest, the Turkeys scratch a hole in the 

 ground, or make a sort of nest in the grass under a bush, and that the eggs 

 resemble those of the tame Turkey, except in being smaller and more elon- 

 gated in form. The Mexicans, on the Upper Eio Grande, sometimes domes- 

 ticate the Wild Turkey, and at Piedras Negras IVIr. Dresser saw two tliat 

 had been caught when quite young and had become very tame. The female 

 was then sitting, and the eggs, when examined, were found to agree with 

 the account given him by the hunters. 



Mr. Audubon, in his very fuU and minute account of their habits, speaks 

 of them as irregularly migratory and gregarious, their migrations ha\ing 

 reference only to the abundance of food, and the meeting together in the 

 same localities being to a large degree caused by the same source of attrac- 

 tion, — the supply of mast iu certain regions. In this way they desert 

 sections where the supply is exhausted, and advance towards those where 

 it is more plentiful. 



Late in October these birds assemble in flocks iu the rich bottom-lands of 

 the Western rivers, the male birds associating in parties of from ten to a 

 hundred, and keeping apart from the females. The latter are simultane- 



