208 



From the first day I kept the pens supplied with 

 fresh chickweed, and the chicks began eating it on 

 the second or third da)'. They also ate dandelion 

 seeds, and were fond of the green heads of June grass. 

 All kinds of fruit were offered them, and none of the 

 native and common garden fruits were declined, (with 

 the exception of pears and peaches, which were 

 scarcily more than tasted), from strawberries in June 

 to apples in October. Raspberries, blackberries, and 

 mulberries were eagerh' eaten, and blueberries and 

 huckleberries formed a staple food during their sea- 

 sons. Thorn apples, barberries and black alder ber- 

 ries were not refused, but were not taken in large 

 quantities. Grapes of all kinds were greatly relislied, 

 especially Delawares. Chokecherries and especially 

 black cherries were eaten in great quantities. 



Although liberally supplied with green cabbage 

 and fresh chickweed and generally lettuce, all of 

 which the young birds ate daily, they also took quan- 

 tities of all sorts of leaves (except grape, snowball, 

 artichoke and Rosa tiigosa) of the trees and other 

 plants which grew in their enclosures : hawthorn, 

 cherry, black cherry, apple, hackberry, chestnut, 

 plantain, rhubarb, yellow dock, oxalis, all kinds of 

 clovers, and many others. Early in September they 

 began to develop proclivities for budding, and were 

 often seen nipping and tugging at small twigs. They 

 ate chestnuts and acorns eagerly through October and 

 up to the present. 



The first moult occurred chiefly in August, and 

 the adult feathers appeared in September, along with 

 the "snow shoes " and leggings. Soon after attaining 

 their fall plumage they bei>an to strut, after the fashion 

 of the Turkey gobbler. The tail is spread, the wings 

 are dragged on the ground and the ruff is thrown out 

 around the head, and a great deal of bowing, shaking 

 the rufif and hissing is indulged in. The male and 



