Bird Study 145 



fighter. When beginning a fight he advances with wings lowered and 

 sidewise as if guarding his body with the spread wing. The neck and the 

 sharp beak are outstretched and he makes the attack so suddenly, that it 

 is impossible to see whether he strikes with both wing and beak or only 

 with the latter, as with fury he pounces upon his adversary apparently 

 striving to rip his neck open with his spurs. 



Turkey hens usually begin to lay in April in this latitude and much 

 earlier in more southern states. At nesting time each turkey hen strays 

 off alone, seeking the most secluded spot she can find to lay the large, oval, 

 brown-speckled eggs. Silent and sly, she slips away to the place daily, by 

 the most round-about ways, and never moving in the direction of the nest 

 when she thinks herself observed. Sometimes the sight of any person 

 near her nest will cause her to desert it. The writer has spent many hours 

 when a child, sneaking in fence comers and behind stumps and tree 

 trunks, stalking turkeys' nests. Incubation takes four weeks. The 

 female is a most persistent sitter and care should be taken to see that she 

 gets a good supply of food and water at this time. Good sound com or 

 wheat is the best food for her at this period. When sitting she is very 

 cross and will fight most courageously when molested on her nest. 



Turkey nestlings are rather large, with long, bare legs and scra\\Tiy 

 thin necks, and they are very delicate during the first six weeks of their 

 lives. Their call is a plaintive "peep, weep," and when a little turkey 

 feels lost its cry is expressive of great fear and misery. But if the mother 

 is freely ranging she does not seem to be much affected by the needs of 

 her brood ; she will fight savagely for them if they are near her, but if they 

 stray, and they usually do, she does not seem to miss or hunt for them, 

 but strides serenely on her way, keeping up a constant crooning "kr-rit, 

 kr-rit," to encourage them to follow. As a consequence, the chicks are 

 lost or get draggled and chilled by struggling through wet grass and 

 leaves, that are no obstacle to the mother's strong legs, and thus many 

 die. If the mother is confined in a coop it should be so large and roomy 

 that she can move about without trampling on the chicks, and it should 

 have a dry floor since dampness is fatal to the little ones. 



For the first week the chicks should be fed five times a day, and for 

 the next five weeks they should have three meals a day. They should be 

 given only just about enough to fill each little crop and none left over to be 

 trodden under their awkward little feet. Their quarters should be kept 

 clean and free from vermin. 



LESSON XXXIV 



Turkeys 



Leading thought — The turkey is a native of America. It was intro- 

 duced into Spain from Mexico in about 1.5 18, and since then has been 

 domesticated. However, there are still in some parts of the country 

 flocks of wild turkeys. It is a beautiful bird and has interesting habits. 



Method — If the pupils could visit a flock of turkeys the lesson would be 

 given to a better advantage. If this is impossible, ask the questions a few 

 at a time and let those pupils who have opportunities for observing the 

 turkeys give their answers before the class. 



Observations — i. Of what breed are the turkeys you are studying, 

 Bronze, Black, Buff, White Holland or Narragansett? 



