WILD TURKEY. 



^9Z 



The paflions of the males are very flrongly exprefTed by the change Irascible. 

 of colors in the flelhy fubftance of the head and neck, which alters 

 to red, white, blue, and yellowifh, as they happen to be afFefted. 

 The fight of any thing red excites their choler greatly. 



They are polygamous, one cock ferving or hens. They Polycamows. 



lay in the fpring; and will lay a great number of eggs. They will 

 perfift in laying for a great while. They retire to fome obfcure place 

 to fit, the cock, through rage at lofs of its mate, being very apt to 

 break the eggs. The females are very affetftionate to the young, and 

 make great moan on the lofs of them. They fit on their eggs witli 

 fuch perfeverance, that, if they are not taken away when addle, the 

 hens will almoft perifh with hunger before they will quit the neft. 



Turkies greatly delight in the feeds of nettles ; but thofe of the 

 purple Fox-glove prove fatal to them *. 



They are very ftupid birds ; quarrelfome, and cowardly. It is. 

 diverting to fee a whole flock attack the common Cock; who will for 

 a long time keep a great number at bay. 



"They are very fwift runners, in the tame as well as the wild ftate. Swift. 



They are but indifferent flyers. They love to perch on trees; and Perch hig». 

 gain the height they wifli, by rifing from bough to boUgh. In a wild 

 fllate, they get to the very fummit of the loftieft trees, even fb- high 

 as to be beyond the reach of the mufquet f. 



In the ftate of nature they go in flocks even of five hundred J» Gregariou». 

 Feed much on the fmall red acorns ; and grow fo fat in March, that 

 they cannot fly more than three or four hundred yards, and are then 

 foon run down by a horfeman. In the unfrequented parts bordering 

 on the MiJJifipi, they are fo tame as to be fliot with evea a piftol ||. 



They frequent the great fwamps § o-f their native country ; and Ha-hn'ps* 

 leave them at fun-rifing to repair to the dry woods, in fearch of 



* De Buffhn. t Zaw/ffw, 45. ' J £aw/o», 149, \\ Adair's Jtner. ■^60, 



§ It is in the fwamps that the loftieft and moft bulky trees grow : the wet, with whicli 

 they are environed, makes them a moft fecure retreat. 



acornSj, 



