OllDRU GALLINtE. 1,57 



breed, and its flavour approaches to that of the pheasant. 

 These birds quit the woods in the month of September, and 

 approach inhabited places ; accordingly, the natives of North 

 America call this season the turkey month. They then hunt 

 them, and kill great numbers, which are preserved in ice, and 

 brought into the European establishments. 



The wild turkies are now to be met with only very far in 

 the interior. They are extremely shy, and though their 

 flight is heavy, they know so well how to escape and conceal 

 themselves, that they are discovered with difficulty. Those 

 which are brought up in their native country, and which lead 

 a rural life, and are never shut up, have yet become as dege- 

 nerate as those of our poultry yards in Europe. 



The turkey is unquestionably the largest of our poultry. 

 Its usual length is three feet and a half, from the end of the 

 bill to the extremity of the tail. Its height, about two feet, 

 measuring from the soles to the summit of the head. The 

 envergure is about four feet. 



Turkey-hens are far from being as profitable, generally 

 speaking, as our common hens. They have need of stimu- 

 lating food, to excite them to lay, such as hempseed and buck- 

 wheat. They have, however, two broods usually in the year, 

 of about fifteen eggs, often less, especially in northern cli- 

 mates. The eggs are white, with some small spots of reddish 

 yellow. 



The young ones on coming forth from the egg are very 

 weak, and most assiduous care is requisite for the preserva- 

 tion of their existence. The strong sun kills them almost 

 immediately. The frost gives them cold ; but it is chiefly in 

 wet weather that it is necessary to shelter them, without 

 which they are certain to perish. Even the dew is pernicious 

 to them. An elevated situation, and a dry and sandy soil, 

 suit them best ; and even there it requires exceeding atten- 

 tion to turn them to any profit. 



