No. 133.] 155 



When the turkies have surmounted all difficulties, and arrived 

 In their land of abundance, they disperse in small flocks, com- 

 posed of individuals of all sexes and ages intermingled, who 

 devour all the mast as they advance ; this occurs about the mid- 

 dle of November. It has been observed, that after these long 

 journeys, the turkies become so familiar near the farm-houses 

 and plantations, as to enter the stables and corn cribs in search 

 of food ; in this way they pass the autumn, and part of the win- 

 ter. During this season, great numbers are killed by the inhabi- 

 tants, who preserve them in a frozen state, in order to transport 

 them to distant markets. Early in March they begin to pair ; 

 and for a short time previous, the females separate from and shun 

 their mates, though the latter pertinaciously follow them, utter- 

 ing their gobbling notes. The sexes roost apart, but at no great 

 distance, so that when the female utters a call, every male within 

 hearing responds, rolling note after note, in the most rapid suc- 

 cession ; not as when spreading the tail and strutting near the 

 hen, but in a voice resembling that of the tame turkey, when he 

 hears any unusual or frequently repeated noise. Where the 

 turkeys are numerous, the woods from one end to the other, 

 sometimes for hundreds ot miles, resounds with this remarkable 

 voice of their wooing, uttered responsively from their roosting 

 places ; this is continued for about an hour, and on the rising of 

 the sun, they silently descend from their perches, and the males 

 begin to strut, for the purpose of winning the admiration of the 

 females. If the call be given from the ground, the males in the 

 vicinity fly towards the individual, and whether they perceive 

 her or not, erect and spread their tails, throw the head back- 

 ward, distend their comb and wattles, strut pompously, and 

 rustle their wings and body feathers. While thus occupied, they 

 occasionally halt to look out for the female, and then resume their 

 strutting and pompous movement. During this ceremonious ap- 

 proach, the males often encounter each other, and fierce battles en- 

 sue, when the conflict is only terminated by the flight or death of 

 the vanquished. When mated for the season, one or more females 

 thus associated, follow their favorite, and roost in the immediate 

 neighborhood, if not on the same tree, until they begin to lay, when 

 they change their mode of life, in order to save their eggs, which 



