POULTEY. 257 



in parties of from ten to a hundred, and search for food apart from the 

 females ; while the latter are seen either advancing singly, each with 

 her brood of young, then about two-thirds grown, or in union with other 

 families, forming parties, often amounting to seventy or eighty individuals, 

 all intent on shunning the old cocks, which, when the young birds have 

 attained this size, will fight with and often destroy them by repeated 

 blows on the head. Old and young, however, all move in the same 

 course, and on foot, unless their progress is interrupted by a river, or the 

 hunter's dog force them to take wing. 



" When they come upon a river, they betake themselves to the highest 

 eminences, and there remain often a whole day, and sometimes two, as 

 if for the purpose of consultation. During this time the males are heard 

 gobbling, calling, and making much ado, and are seen strutting about, 

 as if to raise their courage to a pitch befitting the emergency. Even 

 the females and young assume something of the same pompous demean- 

 or, spread out their tails, and run round each other, purring loudly, and 

 performing extravagant leaps. At length, when the weather appears 

 settled, and all around is quiet, the whole party mount to the tops of 

 the highest tiees, whence at a signal, consisting of a single cluck, given 

 by a leader, the flock takes flight to the opposite shore. The old and 

 fat birds easily get over, even should the river be a mile in breadth, but 

 the younger and less robust frequently fall into the water — not to be 

 drowned, however, as might be imagined ; they bring their wings close 

 to their bodies, spread out their tails as a support, stretch forward their 

 necks, and striking out their legs with great vigor, proceed rapidly 

 toward the shore; on approaching which, should they find it too 

 steep for landing, they cease their exertions for a few moments, float 

 down the stream till they come to an accessible part, and by a violent 

 effort generally extricate themselves from the water. It is remarkable 

 that, immediately after crossing a large stream, they ramble about for 

 some time as if bewildered. In this state they fall an easy prey to the 

 hunter. 



" When the turkeys arrive in parts where the mast is abundant, they 

 separate into smaller flocks, composed of birds of all ages and both sexes, 

 promiscuously mingled, and devour all before them. This happens 

 about the middle oiP November. So gentle do they sometimes become 

 after these long journeys, that they have been seen to approach the 

 farm-houses, associate with the domestic fowls, and enter the stables and 

 corn-cribs in quest of food. In this way, roaming about the forests, 

 and feeding chiefly on mast, they pass the autumn, and part of the 

 winter." 



The season of courtship begins about the middle of Febrnary. The 

 females now separate from the males, whom they endeavor to shun, but 

 by whom they are perseveringly followed. 



It is generally about the middle of April that the female begins to 

 select a site, and arrange her rude nest, which consists chiefly of withered 

 leaves, in some depression on the ground, amidst dense brushwood, or 

 in such an obscure place as the locality affords. The eggs, like those 

 of the domestic bird, are of large size, and of a dull cream-white, 

 minutely freckled or dotted with reddish-brown ; their average number 



