THE TURKEY. 181 



days of their life, would be veiy dangerous to them, 

 they having then no other protection than a delicate, 

 soft, hairy down. In very rainy seasons wild turkeys 

 are scarce, because, when completely wetted, the 

 young rarely survive. 



" At the expiration of about two weeks, the young 

 leave the ground on which they had previously re- 

 posed at night under the female, and follow her to 

 some low, large branch of a tree, where they nest)* 

 under the broadly curved wings of their vigilant and 

 fostering parent. The time then approaches in 

 which they seek the open ground or prairie land du- 

 ring the day, in search of strawberries, and subse- 

 quently of dewberries, blackberries, and grasshop- 

 pers ; thus securing a plentiful food, and enjoying 

 the influence of the genial sun. They frequently 

 dust themselves in shallow cavities of the soil, or on 

 ant-hills, in order to clean off the loose skin of their 

 growing feathers, and rid themselves of ticks and 

 other vermin. 



" The young turkeys now grow rapidly, and in 

 the month of August, when several broods flock to- 

 gether, and are led by their mothers to the forest, 

 they are stout and quite able to secure themselves 

 from the unexpected attacks of wolves, foxes, lynxes, 

 and even cougars, by rising quickly from the ground, 

 aided by their strong legs, and reaching with ea* 

 the upper limbs of the tallest tree. Amongst the 

 numerous enemies of the wild turkey, the most 

 dreaded are the large diurnal and nocturnal birds vf 



