156 [Assembly 



the male uniformly breaks, if in his power, that the female may 

 not be withdrawn from his company and attention. At this time, 

 the females shun the males during the greater part of the day ; 

 the latter become clumsy aud careless, meet each other peaceful- 

 ly, and cease to gobble. The sexes then separate ; the males 

 being tliin and meagre, retire and conceal themselves by pros- 

 trate trees in secluded parts of tlie forest, or in the almost im- 

 penetrable recesses of a cane break. Rather than leave their 

 hiding places, they suffer themselves to be approached within a 

 short distance, when they seek safety in speed of foot ; at tliis 

 season, however, they are of none or very little value to the hun- 

 ter, being quite lousy and covered with tick. By thus retiring, 

 and feeding on peculiar grasses, they recover their flesh and 

 strength ; and when this object is attained, again congregate, and 

 commence their rambles. About the middle of April, when the 

 weather is dry, the female selects a proper place in which to de- 

 posite her eggs, secured from the encroachment of water, and as 

 far as possible, concealed from the watchful eye of the crow j 

 this crafty bird espies the hen going to her nest, and having dis- 

 covered the precious deposite, waits for the absence of the parent, 

 and removes every one of the eggs from the spot that he may 

 devour them at his leisure. 



The nest is placed on the ground, either on a dry ridge in the 

 fallen top of a dead leafy tree, under a thicket of sumach or bri- 

 ars, or by the side of a log ; it is of a very simple structure, be- 

 ing composed of a few dried leaves. In this^receptacle the eggs 

 are deposited, sometimes to the number of twenty, but more 

 usually from nine to fifteen ; they are whitish, spotted with red- 

 dish brown, like those of the domestic turkey. Their manner, 

 number of eggs, period of incubation, &c., appear to correspond 

 throughout the Union, as Messrs. Audubon, Wilson and others, 

 have received similar accounts from the northern limits of the 

 turkey range, to the most southern regions of Florida, Louisiana^ 

 and the western wilds of Missouri, The female always ap- 

 proaches her nest with great caution, varying her course so as 

 rarely to reach it twice by tlie same route ; and on leaving her 

 charge, she is very careful to cover the whole with dry leaves, 

 with which she conceals it so carefully, as to make it extremely 



