438 GALLINACEOUS BIEDS. 



caused by atmospheric influence, but want of sustenance in the 



country which it inhabits. It is generally towards the beginning 



of October that these migrations commence. The Turkeys then 



unite in troops of from ten to a hundred individuals, and go 



towards the regions which they have chosen for their new abode ; 



the males form a separate drove from the females, which march at 



their sides, surrounded by their young families. The necessity of 



protecting their young from the brutality of the old cocks, who will 



kill them if opportunity offers, inspires the hen Turkeys with 



this habit. It sometimes happens that the emigrating band are 



stopped by a water-course, when all evince great agitation by 



spreading their tails, uttering frequent gobbles, and yielding 



themselves to extravagant demonstrations. At the end of a day 



or two, after having inspected the neighbourhood, they mount 



upon the branches of some of the highest trees, and take to the wing 



to traverse the obstruction. Some of the young ones always fall 



into the water, but they know perfectly how to swim : when all 



have reached the opposite bank they run hither and thither as if 



they were mad, and from their recklessness at this time it is very 



easy to approach and kill them. These birds pair in February or 



March, according to latitude ; the females produce eggs six weeks 



afterwards. At this time the hen secretes herself in a place 



unknown to the male, as he would break the eggs. The nest is an 



indentation in the ground, lined with soft grasses, moss, and dry 



leaves, and in it are deposited her embryo progeny, which are sat 



upon with perseverance deserving pi'aise. In this respect they 



are superior to all Gallinaceous fowls, even surpassing the Domestic 



Hen. When the mothers leave their eggs to seek food they are 



always careful to cover them with leaves, the better to screen 



them from the sight of the Fox, Lynx, or Crow, The incubation 



lasts about thirty days. As the time for hatching approaches, no 



power can make the mother leave her nest, no peril will cause her 



to desert her charge. On being hatched, the young Turkeys, 



under the protecting care of the old bird, are led to sequestered 



feeding grounds, and do not leave her till the end of several 



months. Wild Turkeys have many formidable enemies, the most 



destructive being Man, next the Lynx and the Eagle Owl ; they 



are, therefore, very distrustful, and when on the ground secrete 



