A Catalogue of Birds obtained in Navarro Gounty, Texas. 237 



localities, either on the ground, a branch of a tree, or even a corn 

 stalk, and several broods are produced during the season, fresh eggs 

 being found at any time between March and September. 



Meleagris gallopavo AMERICANA (Bartv.) Wild Turkey. 

 •^The wild turkey is still a common resident in the county, 

 frequenting the wooded districts, but owing to its naturally shy 

 disposition, and the incessant persecution to which it is subjected, 

 it is very difficult to get a sight of the birds, even where they are 

 numerous. The reprehensible practice of calling up the gobblers, 

 and shooting them, which can only be done during the spring of 

 the year when the}'- are breeding, makes them, by killing off all 

 the male birds, much scarcer than they would otherwise be, and 

 must, if persisted in, ultimately cause the disappearance of this 

 noble species from the district. 



CuPiDONiA CUPIDO PALLiDiciNCTA, Ridgw. Lesser Prairie 

 Hen. — Very common and resident. During the autumn, winter, 

 and spring months, they assemble in flocks, numbering sometimes 

 as many as two hundred, and are then very wild and exceedingly 

 difficult to obtain. During the month of November the greater 

 number leave the prairies and fields and go down into the wooded 

 districts to feed upon the fallen acorns. They pass the heat of 

 the day in thick covert, either long grass or the shady margins of 

 creeks, coming into the cultivated lands to feed in the morning and 

 evening. They frequently fly up into trees when disturbed, and 

 it is then useless to attempt to approach them ; sometimes, indeed, 

 specially during cold weather and snow, they spend whole days 

 among the branches of trees. During March they begin to drum, 

 and may be heard so engaged about sunrise every morning; during 

 the next three months they are seldom seen, being busied with the 

 duties of incubation in the most secluded retreats. About the 

 middle of July the packs begin to appear on the prairie, led by the 

 old hen, but never accompanied by the male ; the young are then 

 strong on the wing and fat ; when disturbed they fly to the nearest 

 covert whether of dense weeds or shrubbery, from whence it is 

 next to impossible to dislodge them. Their food consists of maize, 

 the seeds of the sunflower and other weeds, the leaves of the cotton, 

 various flowers, and where obtainable they are very partial to 

 melons. The old males grow to a large size occasionally attaining 



