128 THE TURKEY. 



when they again congregate, and recommence their 

 rambles. 



" About the middle of April, when the weather is 

 dry, the female selects a proper place in which to 

 deposit her eggs, secured from the encroachment of 

 water, and, as far as possible, concealed from the 

 watchful eye of the crow : this crafty bird espies the 

 hen going to her nest, and having discovered the 

 precious deposit, waits for the absence of the parent, 

 and removes every one of the eggs from the spot, 

 that he may devour them at leisure. The nest is 

 placed on the ground, either on a dry ridge, in the 

 fallen top of a dead leafy tree, under a thicket of 

 sumach or briars, or by the side of a log ; it is of a 

 very simple structure, being composed of a few dried 

 leaves. In this receptacle the eggs are deposited, 

 sometimes to the number of twenty, but more usual- 

 ly from nine to fifteen ; they are whitish, spotted 

 with reddish brown, like those of the domestic bird. 

 Their manner of building, number of eggs, period of 

 incubation, &c. appear to correspond throughout the 

 Union, as I have received exactly similar accounts 

 from the northern limits of the turkey range, to the 

 most southern regions of Florida, Louisiana, and the 

 western wilds of Missouri. 



"The female always approaches her nest with 

 great caution, varying her course so as rarely to 

 reach it twice by the same route ; and, on leaving 

 her charge, she is very careful to cover the whole 

 with dry leaves, with which she conceals it so art- 



