146 THE TURKEY. 



they begin to lay, they gradually leave his company, 

 and indeed sedulously avoid him, except for a few 

 hours during the day, and make their nests in some 

 concealed spot, among logs, brushwood, and intertan- 

 gled foliage, in order that they may escape not only 

 the eye of the crow, which is a great devourer of the 

 eggs' of the turkey, who, if he were to find them, 

 would, from jealousy, infallibly break them all. At 

 last, the males find themselves altogether deserted. 

 Their mutual rivalskip ceases ; they meet each other 

 in peace, and cease to utter threats of mutual defiance ^ 

 they seek retired situations in order to rest and recruit 

 their energies ; for, at this juncture, like worn-out rakes, 

 they are utterly exhausted, and have lost flesh and 

 activity. When recovered and improved in condition, 

 they draw together again, and commence their wan- 

 derings in united parties. 



It is generally about the middle of April that the 

 female begins to select a site, and arrange her rude 

 nest, which consists simply of withered leaves, in 

 some depression on the ground amidst dense brush- 

 wood, 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 or cream white, minutely 

 freckled or dotted with reddish-brown ; their average 

 number varies from ten to fifteen. While the gradual 

 addition of egg to egg is going on, the hen displays 

 surprising instinctive caution. On leaving her charge > 

 she is careful to cover the whole with dry leaves, so 

 artfully disposed as to render it difficult even for one 

 who has watched her movements to find the nest, and 

 on returning to it, she varies her rout, scarcely ever 

 returning to it twice by the same course. Hence it is 

 mostly by accident that the nest of the hen is discov- 

 ered. It not unfrequently happens that several hens 

 associate together and form a common nest, probably 

 for mutual aid and assistance, and rear their broods 

 together. Mr. Audubon says that he once found three 

 hens sitting on forty-two eggs. In such cases, one of 



