12 TURKEY CULTURE. 



were very sorry to have been compelled to do such a deed, 

 but could not help it, owing to the force of circumstances; 

 yet I have seen the winner in a tournament in such a rage 

 that it not only killed its rival, but pecked out its eyes 

 after it was dead. When the victors have won their brides 

 they keep together until the latter commence laying, and 

 then separate, for the males are so jealous that they would 

 destroy the eggs if they could, in order to prolong the love 

 period, and the hens, knowing this, carefully screen them. 

 The males are often followed by more than one hen, but 

 they are not so polygamous as their domestic congeners, 

 as I never heard of a gobbler having more than two or 

 three females under his protection. The adult gobblers 

 drive the young males away during the erotic season, and 

 will not even permit them to gobble if they can, so that 

 the latter are obliged to keep by themselves, generally in 

 parties of from six to ten, unless some of the veterans are 

 killed, and then they occupy the vacated places of the 

 bridegrooms, according to the order of their prowess. 



Some aged males may also be found wandering through 

 the woods in parties of two, three, four, or five, but they 

 seldom mingle with the flocks, owing, apparently, to the 

 waning of their salacious disposition. They are exceed- 

 ingly shy and vigilant, and so wild that they fly immedi- 

 ately from an imaginary danger created by their own sus- 

 picious nature. They strut and gobble occasionally, but not 

 nearly so much as do their younger kindred. Barren hens, 

 which also keep by themselves, are almost as demonstra- 

 tive in displaying their vocal powers, airs, and feathers a* 

 the old males, whereas they are exceedingly coy and un- 

 pretentious when fertile. This fact would seem to prove 

 that ordinary animal nature is changed by circumstances. 

 When the love season is over, the males are very much 

 emaciated, so, when the hens leave them, they keep by 

 themselves until th^y recover their strengh, and then re- 

 unite in small bachelor parties; but, instead of being 



