116 THE HUMAN SIDE OF BIRDS 



young brood goes forth in search of food, which 

 usually consists of divers kinds of insects, berries, 

 and the seeds of grasses, she often depends upon a 

 sentinel to give the alarm in case of danger. At 

 such a time the little ones either flop to the ground 

 where they lie motionless as dead twigs, or else 

 scamper back down the road as fast as their tiny 

 legs can carry them until they reach the home 

 bush, where they crouch to await the outcome of 

 the danger. 



During their entire chickhood, the mother tur- 

 key leads her flock, usually from ten to fourteen 

 in number, through pleasant fields, over hills, down 

 to the little running streams, up through briar 

 patches, but all the travelling is done — at least the 

 most dangerous spots — over Mrs. Turkey's own 

 roads, and with sentinels ever on the lookout for 

 enemies. At the close of summer, many families 

 of turkeys come together, and form one immense 

 flock. These gipsy-like wanderers travel over 

 vast areas of forest and prairie in search of food. 

 It is to be hoped that gunners and trappers will not 

 utterly destroy these wonderful creatures of the 

 wild woods. 



Unless disturbed or driven from their old homes, 

 these wild birds always assemble in large groups 

 and travel to a new hunting-ground by means of 



