104 TURKEYS. 



pairing-time, when lie again disappeared, but re- 

 turned no more, having probably been killed*. 



Male birds of the gallinaceous or poultry tribe, 

 which associate with a plurality of females, are in 

 general less attached to the young birds of their 

 species than others which pair and confine them- 

 selves to one mate. The following is, however, a 

 curious instance that this insensibility is not invari- 

 ably the case. 



In May, a Turkey-hen was sitting upon eggs, and 

 as the cock in his solitude began to be uneasy and 

 appear dejected, he was allowed to remain in the 

 same space along with her. He immediately, on 

 being admitted, sat down by the hen, and it was at 

 first supposed that this was a mere mark of affection, 

 but it was soon found that he had taken some of 

 the eggs from under her, which he carefully covered 

 with his own body. The maid who looked after the 

 poultry, thought this mode of hatching would be at- 

 tended with little advantage, and therefore put the 

 eggs back again under the hen; but the cock was no 

 sooner at liberty, than he again carried some of them 

 away as before. The owner, when he observed this, 

 resolved, for the sake of experiment, to let the cock 

 have his own way, and caused a nest to be prepared 

 with as many eggs as its large body was able to 

 cover. The cock seemed to be highly pleased with 

 this mark of confidence, sat with great patience on 

 the eggs, and was so attentive to the care of hatch- 

 ing them, that he scarcely took time to go in search 

 of food. At the expiration of the usual time, twenty- 



* JEdin. Phil. Jour., No. viii. 



