206 



THE AMERICAN POULTERER'S COMPANION. 



they enjoyed a continual feast. They are swift 

 destruction to all the various kinds of bugs, flies, 

 and other insects that infest the garden, except 

 the rose bugs, those they could not be induced 

 to breakfast upon. 



"In a pecuniary estimate, exclusive of their 

 weight and value in the market, I have given 

 mine credit for some very nice cucumbers, mel- 

 ons, and squashes, nearly equaling them in 

 value. My experience confirms all Mr. Be- 

 ment says in regard to size, constitution, and 

 habits, but I have always been unable to detect 

 any propensity to wander off more than is com- 

 mon to the domestic turkey. His reasons for 

 giving them a decided preference over the last, 

 namely, 'that they are larger, often weighing 

 from 20 to 30 pounds, more robust, will bear the 

 rain and wet grass, and are therefore more eas- 

 ily raised ; and also, being great hunters of flies, 

 bugs, and other insects, they require less corn 

 and meal, and, consequently, are more profit- 

 able,' corresponds with my two years' experi- 

 ence." 



Bonaparte, in his splendid work on the 

 "American Ornithology," gives an account of 

 the ingenious way in which the turkeys escape 

 the insidious attacks of their enemies : "These 

 birds are guardians of each other, and the first 

 who sees a hawk or eagle gives a note of alarm, 

 on which all within hearing lie close to the 

 ground. As they usually roost in flocks, perched 

 on the naked branches of trees, they are easily 

 discovered by the large owls, and when attacked 

 by these prowling birds, often escape by a some- 

 what remarkable manoeuvre. The owl sails 

 round the spot to select his prey ; but, notwith- 

 standing the almost inaudible action of his pin- 

 ions, the quick ear of one of his slumberers per- 

 ceives the danger, which is easily announced to 

 the whole party by a chuck. Thus alarmed, 

 they rise on their legs and watch the motions 

 of the owl, who, darting like an arrow, would 

 inevitably secure the individual at which he 

 aimed, did not the latter suddenly drop his 

 head, squat, and spread his tail over his back ; 

 the owl then glances over without inflicting any 

 injury, at the very instant that the turkey suf- 

 fers himself to fall headlong toward the earth, 

 when he is secure from his dreaded enemy. 



"As early as the middle of February they 

 begin to experience the impulse of propagation. 

 The females separate, and fly from the males. 

 The latter strenuously pursue, and begin to gob- 

 ble or to utter the notes of exultation. The 

 sexes roost apart, but at no great distance from 

 each other. When a female utters a call-note, 

 all the gobblers within hearing return the sound, 

 rolling note after note with as much rapidity as 

 if they intended to emit the last and first to- 

 gether, not with spread tail, as when fluttering 

 round the females on the ground, or practicing 

 on the branches of the trees on which they have 

 roosted for the night, but much in the manner 

 of the domestic turkey when an unusual or un- 

 expected noise elicits its singular hubbub. If 

 the call of the female comes from the ground, 

 all the males immediately fly to the spot, and 

 the moment they reach it, whether the hen be 

 in sight or not, spread out and erect their tail, 

 draw the head back on the shoulders, depress 

 their wings with a quivering motion, and strut 

 pompously about, emitting at the same time a 

 succession of puffs from the lungs, and stopping 

 now and then to listen and look. But whether 

 they spy the female or not, they continue to 

 puff and strut, moving with as much celerity as 

 their idea of ceremony seems to admit. While 

 thus occupied, the males often encounter each 

 other, in which case desperate battles take place, 

 ending in bloodshed and often in the loss of 

 many lives, the weaker falling under the re- 

 peated blows inflicted upon the head by the 

 stronger. 



"Turkey cocks, when at roost, sometimes 

 strut and gobble, spread out their tails, and 

 emit the pulmonic puff, lowering their tails and 

 other feathers immediately after. During clear 

 nights, or when there is moonshine, they per- 

 form this at intervals of a few minutes for hours 

 together, without moving from the same spot, 

 and, indeed, sometimes without raising on their 

 legs, especially toward the end of the love-sea- 

 son. The males now become greatly emaciated, 

 and cease to gobble, their breast-sponge becom- 

 ing flat. They then separate from the hens, 

 and one might suppose that they had entirely 

 deserted their neighborhood. 



"About the middle of April, when the season 



