THE TURKEY. 97 



and with her bill caress and dry the young 

 birds, that already stood tottering and at- 

 tempting to make their way out of the nest. 

 Yes, I have seen this, and have left the mother 

 and young to better care than mine could have 

 proved, to the care of their Creator and mine. 

 I have seen them all emerge from the shell, 

 and in a few moments after, tumble, roll, and 

 push each other forward, with astonishing and 

 inscrutable instinct." 



When the young are dry and sufficiently 

 strong, the female rises from her nest, shakes 

 and arranges her plumage, and prepares to 

 lead them abroad. She walks slowly along, 

 with half expanded wings, and by repeated 

 clucks keeps them together and around her. 

 Her eyes are incessantly on the watch, she 

 glances anxiously in every direction, scrutinizes 

 the trees, the sky, the ground, and the thickets, 

 lest her brood be suddenly assailed by the 

 hawk or the fox. She avoids also low and 

 wet grounds, resorting to elevated spots, for 

 instinct has told her that the brood when once 

 their soft down is wetted seldom survive. 

 Hence it happens that in rainy seasons young 

 turkeys are very scarce. 



For the first few days, the female does not 



