408 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



T1k3 female is said to begin to deposit her eggs about the middle of April, 

 selecting for that purpose a place as much concealed as possible from her 

 many enemies. Tlie nest, always on the ground, consists of a few with- 

 ered leaves in a hollow scratched out by the side of a fallen log, or the top 

 of a prostrate tree, or under a thicket, or within the edge of a cane-brake, 

 but always in a dry place. The eggs sometinres amount to twenty in 

 number, thougli tliere are usually from ten to fifteen. They are described 

 as of a dull cream-color, sprinkled with reddish dots. When the female 

 leaves her nest, she is said to bo very careful to cover them \\-ith leaves, so 

 tliat it is always difficult for any one to faid them. Mr. Audubon observed 

 tliat Turkey-hens not unfrequently selected small islands in wliich to deposit 

 tlieir eggs, apparently on account of the great masses of drift-timber which 

 accumulated at their heads, in wliich they could seek protection and shelter. 



If a female is approaclied while sitting on her eggs, she rarely mo\'es un- 

 less she is discovered. Mr. Audubon lias frequently approached within a 

 few paces of a nest, the female remaining undisturbed. They seldom aban- 

 don their nest when it has been discovered by man, but forsake it if any of 

 tlie eggs have been destroyed by any kind of animal. If tlie eggs are taken 

 or destroyed, tlie female prepares for another nest, but otherwise has only one 

 brood in a season. Audubon also states tliat lie has known several liens 

 associate together, deposit tlieir eggs in the same nest, and rear their broods 

 together, Iiaving once found three hens sitting on fortv-two esgs in a single 

 nest, one female at least being always present to protect it. When the eggs 

 are near hatching, the female will not leave her eggs under any circumstances, 

 and will suffer herself to be made a prisoner rather than al:)andon tliem. 

 The mother assists the young birds to extricate themselves from the egg- 

 shell, caresses and dries them with her bill, and aids them in tlieir first 

 efforts to totter out of the nest. As the brood follow her, she is very watch- 

 ful against Hawks or other enemies, spreads her wings a little to protect 

 them, and calls tliem close to her side, keeping them on dry ground and care- 

 fully guarding them from wet, which is very injurious to them when A'oung. 

 When two weeks old, they begin to be able to follow their mother, at night 

 to roost in tlie low limb of some tree, and to leave the woods in the daytime 

 in quest of berries and other food. The young usually feed on various kinds 

 of small berries and insects. The full-grown Turkeys prefer the pecan-nuts 

 and wild grapes to any other kind of food. 



Tliey are also said to feed on grass, various kinds of plants, corn, and 

 other grain, seeds, fruit, and also upon beetles, small lizards, tadpoles, etc. 

 In feeding in the woods, they turn over the dry leaves with their feet, and 

 seem instinctively to know the presence of suitable food. They not unfre- 

 quently betray their presence in the neighborhood by the bare places they 

 thus leave behind them in the woods where they have been feeding. 



After hea^•v falls of snow and the formation of a hard crust, the Turkeys 

 are said to be conijielled to remain several days on their roosts without food 

 thus proving their capaliility of enduring a continueil abstinence. 



