A Bird of the Season 



191 



rearing these delicate chicks and fewer have been lost through disease. 

 Two of the Turkey hens are not good mothers, neglecting the chicks, so 

 that it has been found necessary to take the eggs from these Turkeys and 

 hatch them under hens, and when the young Turkeys have grown as large 

 as their foster-mother, it is amusing to see these large, clumsy fowls rush at 

 her when she has found a titbit, often buffeting her roughly between them. 

 If at this age they should ever attempt to get under her wings she would 

 certainly be lifted off her feet. 



The marvelous way which young Quail and Partridges have of disap- 

 pearing and making themselves indistinguishable among the dead leaves has 

 often been related, but 1 hardly thought it possible that these larger cousins 

 of the Grouse could be successful in this ruse. On June 14, of this year, a 



MALE WILD TURKEY AT THE NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL PARK 



Turkey mother brought off eight chicks from her nest of leaves near the 

 center of the range, and they were allowed to remain in the enclosure a day 

 before being removed to the pheasant -breeding coops away from rats and 

 other vermin. In catching the young birds no precautions were taken, ex- 

 cept to drive the hen Turkey and chicks to an opening in the undergrowth 

 and then separate the mother from her brood. Two of the young birds 

 were picked up, but ten minutes' search failed to discover a trace of the 

 remaining si,x. although it was certain that they were within a radius of five 

 feet. It was necessary to allow the two captured chicks to go, and then 

 drive the mother to the spot, whereupon, at her low cluck, the entire si.x 

 appeared as if b\ magic. She was then driven against a perpendicular ciiflF 

 of rock and with the help of a third man and about five minutes' search, all 

 eight birds were secured. This year one of the Turkeys nested a second 



