t: ! . 



184 



GAME BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA. 



sounded above the various cries they uttered, and occa- 

 sionally one wounded, but not entirely incapacitated 

 from escaping, would drop to the ground and the 

 rapid " pats " of its swiftly moving feet could be heard 

 upon the dead leaves as it ran quickly from the scene. 

 The roost, however, was very extensive and continued a 

 long way up the canon, and the birds not in the imme- 

 diate vicinity did not desert their posts. Picking up the 

 dead birds, a few of which were quite a heavy enougli 

 load for two men, we were glad when we could transfer 

 them from our own backs to those of our horses, which 

 were waiting for us about half a mile away. This Tur- 

 key is very strong upon the wing, rises without difficulty, 

 awd continues its flight frequently for long distances. 

 It alights either upon the ground or in the trees, but if 

 the former, runs with great speed until a place of con- 

 cealment is gained. While not uncommon in the dis- 

 tricts named within our limits, this species is much more 

 numerous in Mexico, where it goes as far south as Vera 

 Cruz. The hen attends solely to the hatching of the 

 eggs and rearing of the young, hiding them away from 

 the male, who cannot be trusted either with them or a 

 knowledge of their location. The nest is a depression in 

 the ground, lined with grass, weeds, and leaves, and care- 

 fully concealed amid bushes or grass. The eggs are 

 creamy wliite, finely and thickly dotted with reddish 

 brown. The food of this bird consists of acorns and 

 various nuts that are found in those southern latitudes, 

 especially those of the piiion tree, also insects of all kinds, 

 and grain when it happens to be grown in the vicinity 

 of their habitats. 



This Turkey was carried to some of the West Indies 

 Islands early in the sixteenth century, and then to 

 Europe, especially England and France, and in 1573 had 



