2 WILD TURKEY. 



The Turkey is irregularly migratory, as well as irregularly gregari- 

 ous. With reference to the first of these circumstances, I have to state, 

 that whenever the mast * of one portion of the country happens greatly 

 to exceed that of another, the Turkeys are insensibly led toward that 

 spot, by gradually meeting in their haunts with more fruit the nearer 

 they advance towards the place where it is most plentiful. In this man- 

 ner flock follows after flock, until one district is entirely deserted, while 

 another is, as it were, overflowed by them. But as these migrations are 

 irregular, and extend over a vast expanse of country, it is necessary that 

 I should describe the manner in which they take place. 



About the beginning of October, when scarcely any of the seeds and 

 fruits have yet fallen from the trees, these birds assemble in flocks, and gra^ 

 dually move towards the rich bottom lands of the Ohio and Mississippi. 

 The males, or, as they are more commonly called, the gobblers, associate in 

 parties of from ten to a hundred, and search for food apart from the 

 females ; while the latter are seen either advancing singly, each with its 

 brood of young, then about two-thirds grown, or in connexion with other 

 famihes, forming parties often amounting to seventy or eighty indivi- 

 duals, all intent on shunning the old cocks, which, even when the young 

 birds have attained this size, will fight with, and often destroy them by 

 repeated blows on the head. Old and young, however, all move in the 

 same course, and on foot, unless their progress be interrupted by a river, 

 or the hunter's dog force them to take wing. When they come upon a 

 river, they betake themselves to the highest eminences, and there often 

 remain a whole day, or sometimes two, as if for the purpose of consul- 

 tation. During this time, the males are heard gobbling, calling, and 

 making much ado, and are seen strutting about, as if to raise their 

 courage to a pitch befitting the emergency. Even the females and 

 young assume something of the same pompous demeanour, spread out 

 their tails, and run round each other, purring loudly, and performing- 

 extravagant leaps. At length, when the weather appears settled, and all 

 around is quiet, the whole party mounts to the tops of the highest trees, 

 whence, at a signal, consisting of a single duck, given by a leader, the 

 flock takes flight for the opposite shore. The old and fat birds easily 

 get over, even should the river be a mile in breadth ; but the younger 

 and less robust frequently fall into the water, — not to be drowned, how- 



• In America, fhe term mast is not confined to tlie fruit of tlie beech, but is used as a 

 general name for all kinds of forest fruits, including even grapes and berries. 



