THE TURKEY. 127 



tails, throw the head backwards, distend the comb 

 and wattles, strut pompously, and rustle their wings 

 and body-feathers, at the same moment ejecting a 

 puff of air from the lungs. Whilst thus occupied, 

 they occasionally halt to look out for the female, and 

 then resume their strutting and puffing, moving with 

 as much rapidity as the nature of their gait will ad- 

 mit. During this ceremonious approach, the males 

 often encounter each other, and desperate battles 

 ensue, when the conflict is only terminated by the 

 flight or death of the vanquished." 



The conqueror now selects the objects of his gal- 

 lantry, and one or more females thus associated fol- 

 low their favourite, and roost in his immediate neigh- 

 bourhood, if not upon the same tree, until they be- 

 gin to lay, when they change their mode of life, in 

 order to save their eggs, which the male uniformly 

 breaks, if in his power. After the love season, the 

 sexes again separate, the males cease entirely to 

 gobble, and " retire and conceal themselves by pro- 

 strate trees, in secluded parts of the forest, or in the 

 almost impenetrable privacy of a cane-brake. Ra- 

 ther than leave their hiding-places, they suffer them- 

 selves to be approached within a short distance, 

 when they seek safety in their speed of foot ; at this 

 season, however, they are of no value to the hunter, 

 being meagre and covered with ticks. By thus re- 

 tiring, using very little exercise, and feeding on pe- 

 culiar grasses, they recover their flesh and strength, 



