THE WILD TURKEY. 131 



them and practically familiar with their habits and secret haunts. 

 Although these birds in the settled districts occasionally come out 

 into the open meadows and frequent the grain-fields, still, they 

 generally secrete themselves in the depths of the forests, and are 

 seldom to be approached within gunshot, save when on the roost 

 at early dawn or when draAvn into ambush by the deceptive call 

 of the huntsman. 



INCUBATION. 



The season devoted by the wild turkey to propagation and 

 incubation is a very interesting period for the lover of natural 

 history to study the habits and characteristics of this truly mag- 

 nificent bird. 



These promptings of nature to perpetuate her creations are 

 observed in the turkey as early as the month of March, and, if the 

 weather be favorable, even as soon as the middle of February. 

 The first change that takes place in its ordinary habits that seems 

 to mark the near approach of this sexual desire is the partial 

 separation of the females from the males, accompanied by the 

 almost incessant gobbling of the latter. The turkey, like others 

 of the gallinaceous order, is very salacious, and does not by any 

 means confine his attentions to one hen, but oftentimes becomes 

 the mate and protector of several, and is ever ready to give battle 

 at the slightest token of intrusion on the part of less favored 

 rivals. 



These conflicts, too, are often contested in the most desperate 

 manner, insomuch that death to several of the combatants not 

 unfrequently results from a general engagement. 



Audubon remarks on this head: — "I have often been much di- 

 verted, while watching two males in fierce conflict, by seeing them 

 move alternately backwards and forwards, as either had obtained 

 a better hold, their wings drooping, their tails partly raised, their 

 body-feathers ruffled, and their heads covered with blood. If, as 

 they thus struggle and gasp for breath, one of them should lose 

 his hold, his chance is over ; for the other, still holding fast, hits 



