140 LEAVES FROM THE 



are of a blackish-brown ; but, on the under surface, the 

 feathers are blackish-brown at the base, going into silver- 

 grey at the ends. The skin of the head and neck is of 

 a deep pink, verging on red, and thinly sprinkled with 

 short hair, like feathers of a blackish-brown. His wattle 

 is of a bright yellow, tinged with red where it joins the 

 red of the neck. His bill is black, and the irides of his 

 eyes and his feet are brown. 



In size the female is about a fourth less than the male, 

 but very similar in colour, only her wattle is less ex- 

 tensive. 



Size of well-developed specimens, nearly that of a 

 turkey. 



Now for the habits of this extraordinary feathered 

 biped. 



The brush -turkey is gregarious, going in small com- 

 panies, and very wary and suspicious. Like the pheasants 

 and some others of the gallinaceous tribe it is a cunning 

 runner, and often escapes through the mazes of the brush. 

 The native dog is their great enemy, and when this de- 

 stroyer is upon them, and, indeed, whenever they are 

 hard pressed, if the opportunity offers, they all spring 

 upon the lowest bough of a tree, leaping from branch to 

 branch till they reach the top. There they either perch 

 or take wing to another part of the cover. When undis- 

 turbed, they seek the sheltering branches of trees during 

 the day. The sportsman knows this, and, taking advan- 

 tage of their fatal siesta, knocks them over one after the 

 other ; for they take no warning from the fate of their 

 companions, remaining to be shot at till all are bagged, 

 or the sportsman is tired of plying his gun. 



In all this there is nothing very extraordinary, 

 surely? 



Certainly not, observing sir, or madam ; but patience. 



It is in the reproduction of the species that the anoma- 

 lous proceedings of the bird are manifested. Collecting 



