TURKEY AND OYSTERS. 229 



owner for his trouble, unless he takes pains to acquaint 

 himself with their habits. 



One of the most dangerous periods is that wherein 

 the distinctive marks of the two sexes begin to appear. 

 The chicks require plenty of nourishing food during 

 the day, and must be carefully housed at night. As 

 soon, however, as the wattle on the forehead and the 

 wrinkled skin of the neck show themselves the danger 

 is considered as past. Then they wiU roost on the 

 topmost branches of trees, if they can manage to escape 

 from the watchful eyes of their keeper, a habit inherited 

 from their ancestors, who always perched in trees at 

 night in order to escape from the lynx and other rapa- 

 cious animals that prey upon these delicate-flavoured 

 birds. A whole flock will sometimes fly into a tree, 

 and when once among the branches will not come down 

 again. Altogether, they are restless, wandering birds, 

 and unless they are watched with the greatest care 

 they are sure to fail. Care, however, is the one great 

 essential iu rearing these magnificent poultry, and even 

 in the most unfavourable parts of England flocks of 

 turkeys have been bred which will bear comparison 

 with the best specimens produced in Norfolk, the chief 

 county for these birds. 



Now let us change our theme and pass to the oyster, 

 the natural companion of the turkey. 



Even in the remote ages of the world, when Rome 

 was in the ascendant, the mistress of the globe, when 



