THE WILD TURKEY 73 



stop the bird from laying there. This is unnecessary with 

 reasonable precautions. Sometimes, toward the end of the 

 laying season, the wild turkey is allowed to hatch her own 

 eggs. Those taken are set either under tame turkeys or 

 under ordinary hens. At first Mr. Bridges was incHned to 

 favour the former, as taking the young over more ground to 

 feed, but now he thinks that a quiet hen is about as good, 

 and brings up the young tamer. They stay very well with 

 the hens, even till they are grown up. The eggs are hatched 

 in ground nests in the shed, where they get sufficient mois- 

 ture and yet are protected from the rain. 



Local Plans. Eventually it is intended to liberate the 

 young on the preserve. They are fairly shy naturally 

 when they grow up in so large a tract. Those that escape 

 quickly become wild. Owing to the poisoning of vermin, 

 they have a good chance of survival. At present, however, 

 they are being held to increase the breeding-stock and to 

 supply other preserves. 



Handling and Feeding Young. After hatching they are 

 put out in the four-acre field with a fair-sized coop and small 

 run, and the ordinary pheasant plan is followed, letting them 

 range in the field, but with the hen or turkey foster-mother. 

 They are shut in at night and kept in till the dew is off the 

 grass, as well as in wet weather. When about a month old 

 they are allowed to roam in the big lot. At first they are fed 

 on hard-boiled egg, which, after a week or so, is mixed with 

 pheasant-meal and the chick-grain, following the method of 

 feeding of young quails and pheasants. Sufficient green and 

 insect food is secured in the enclosure. 



Success and Failure. The keeper at this farm said he had 

 in the enclosure at the time of my visit at least two hundred 

 young wild turkeys. On the club's preserve they have an- 

 other keeper and another enclosure of sixty acres. They 



