TURKEYS. 285 



attached to the young birds of their species than others which 

 pair, and confine themselves to one mate. The following 

 is, however, a curious instance that this insensibility is not 

 invariably the case. 



In May a Turkey-hen was sitting upon eggs, and as the 

 cock in his solitude began to be uneasy and appear dejected, 

 he was allowed to remain in the same space along with her. 

 He immediately, on being admitted, sat down by the hen, 

 and it was at first supposed that this was a mere mark of 

 affection ; but it was soon found that he had taken some of 

 the eggs fyom under her, which he carefully covered with his 

 own body: The maid who looked after the poultry thought 

 this mode of hatching would be attended with little advantage, 

 and therefore put the eggs back again under the hen ; but the 

 cock was no sooner at liberty than he again carried some of 

 them away as before. The owner, when he observed this, 

 resolved, for the sake of experiment, to let the cock have his 

 own way, and caused a nest to be prepared with as many eggs 

 as its large body was able to cover. The cock seemed to be 

 highly pleased with this mark of confidence, sat with great 

 patience on the eggs, and was so attentive to the care of 

 hatching them, that he scarcely took time to go in search of 

 food. At the expiration of the usual time, twenty-eight 

 young ones were produced; and the cock, who was now in 

 some measure the parent of tliis numerous offspring, appeared 

 a good deal perplexed when he saw so many little animals 

 pecking around him, and requiring his constant vigilance , 

 they were therefore removed, from a fear that he might tread 

 upon or neglect them. 



Generally speaking, the Partridge is a much shier bird than 

 the Pheasant, and though we have found it, in the above case, 

 quitting its own species to live with another, it can seldom be 

 induced to lay aside its natural habits and become quite tame. 

 Occasionally, however, by great care, they have been known 

 to attach themselves to man. 



In a clergyman's family, one was reared, which became so 

 familiar that it would attend the parlour at breakfast and 

 other times, and would afterwards stretch itself before the 



