THE WILD TURKEY. 15 



It is, in fact, unusually intelligent, and as pugnacious as 

 it is conceited. Its form is a combination of strength and 

 gracefulness; and even the peculiar appendages on its 

 head and breast are pleasant to look at when they are 

 properly displayed. 



The bill is short and robust, and about two inches 

 and a half in length; the superior mandible is vaulted, 

 overhangs the inferior, and is covered at the base by a 

 naked cere-like membrane, in which the nostrils are situ- 

 ated. The aperture of the ear is defended by a fascicle of 

 small feathers; the irides are dark-brown; the head and 

 half the neck are covered with a naked bluish skin, on 

 which are a number of purplish-red excrescences. A 

 fleshy, extensible caruncle, which is hairy and pencillated 

 at the tip, arises at the conjunction of the bill and fore- 

 head. When the bird is quiescent, this is not more than 

 an inch and a half in length; but when excited by love 

 or rage, it becomes so elongated as to fall two or three 

 inches below the bill. 



The neck, which is of moderate thickness, has a 

 pendent fascicle of black, rigid hairs, which vary from 

 nine to twelve inches in length, on its inferior portion. 

 The tarsus, which is red, is about six inches long, and 

 the feet are very robust. The general hue of the plu- 

 mage is glossy coppery-bronze, merging into green and 

 purple in some lights. This gives the bird a most brilliant 

 appearance, especially in the spring, when all the feathers 

 are in their best condition. 



The males commence wooing as early as February in 

 some of the extreme Southern States, but March is the 

 opening of the love season throughout the country, and 

 April the month in which it reaches its highest develop- 

 ment. The males may then be heard calling to the 

 females from every direction, until the woods ring with 

 their loud and liquid cries, which are commenced long 

 ere the sun appears above the horizon, and continued for 



