16 



THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 



tion. The sexes roost apart, but at no great distance from 

 each other When a female utters a call-note, all the gob- 

 blers within hearing return the sound, rolling note after 

 note with as much rapidity as if they intended to emit the 

 last and the first together, not with spread tail, as when 

 fluttering round the females on the ground, or practising 

 on the branches of the trees on which they have roosted 

 for the night, but much in the manner of the domestic 

 Turkey, when an unusual or unexpected noise elicits its 

 singular hubbub. If the call of the female comes from the 

 ground, all the males immediately fly towards the spot, 

 and the moment they reach it, whether the hen be insight 

 or not, spread out and erect their tail, draw the head back 

 on the shoulders, depress their wings with a quivering 

 motion, and strut pompously about, emitting at the same 

 time a succession of puffs from the lungs, and stopping now 

 and then to listen and look. But whether they spy the 

 female or not, they continue to puff and strut, moving 

 with as much celerity as their ideas of ceremony seem to 

 admit. While thus occupied, the males often encounter 

 each other, in which case desperate battles take place, end- 

 ing in bloodshed, and often in the loss of many lives, the 

 weaker falling under the repeated blows inflicted upon their 

 head by the stronger. 



" I have often been much diverted, while watching two 

 males in fierce conflict, by seeing them move alternately 

 backwards and forwards, as either had obtained a better 

 hold, their wings drooping, their tails partly raised, their 

 body-feathers ruffled, and their heads covered with blood. 

 If, as they thus struggle, and gasp for breath, one of them 

 should lose his hold, his chance is over, for the other, still 

 holding fast, hits him violently with spurs and wings, and 

 in a few minutes brings him to the ground. The moment 

 he is dead, the conqueror treads him under foot, but, what 

 is strange, not with hatred, but with all the motions which 

 he employs in caressing the female. 



" Turkey-cocks when at roost sometimes strut and gob- 

 ble, but I have more generally seen them spread out and 

 raise their tails, and emit the pulmonic puff, lowering 

 their tail and other feathers immediately after. During 

 clear nights, or when there is moonshine, they perform 

 this action at intervals of a few minutes, for hours to- 

 gether, without moving from the same spot, and indeed 

 sometimes without rising on their legs, especially towards 

 the end of the love-season. The males now become 

 greatly emaciated, and cease to gobble, their breast- 

 sponge becoming flat. They then separate from the hens, 

 and one might suppose that they had entirely deserted 

 their neighbourhood. At such seasons I have found them 

 lying by the side of a log, in some retired part of the 

 dense woods and cane thickets, and often permitting one 



to approach within a few feet. They are then unable 

 to fly, but run swiftly, and to a great distance. A slow 

 Turkey-hound has led me miles before I could flush the 

 same bird. Chases of this kind I did not undertake for 

 the purpose of killing the bird, it being then unfit for eat- 

 ing, and covered with ticks, but with the view of render- 

 ing myself acquainted with its habits. They thus retire 

 to recover flesh and strength, by purging with particular 

 species of grass, and using less exercise. As soon as their 

 condition is improved, the cocks come together again, and 

 recommence their rambles. 



" Turkeys are now generally extremely shy, and the 

 moment they observe a man, whether of the red or white 

 race, they instinctively move from him. Their usual mode 

 of progression is what is termed walking, during which 

 they frequently open each wing partially and successively, 

 replacing them again by folding them over each other, as 

 if their weight were too great. Then, as if to amuse 

 themselves, they will run a few steps, open both wings, 

 and fan their sides, in the manner of the common fowl, 

 and often take two or three leaps in the air and shake 

 themselves. Whilst searching for food among the leaves 

 or loose soil, they keep their head up, and are unremitting- 

 ly on the look-out; but as the legs and feet finish the ope- 

 ration, they are immediately seen to pickup the food, the 

 presence of which, I suspect, is frequently indicated to 

 them, through the sense of touch in their feet, during the 

 act of scratching. „ This habit of scratching and remov- 

 ing the dried leaves in the woods, is pernicious to their 

 safety, as the spots which they thus clear, being about two 

 feet in diameter, are seen at a distance, and, if fresh, show 

 that the birds are in the vicinity. During the summer 

 months they resort to the paths or roads, as well as the 

 ploughed fields, for the purpose of rolling themselves in the 

 dust, by which means they clear their bodies of the ticks, 

 which at that season infest them, as well as free themselves 

 of mosquitoes, which greatly annoy them, by biting their 

 heads. 



" When Turkeys alight on a tree, it is sometimes very 

 difficult to see them, which is owing to their standing per- 

 fectly motionless. Should you discover one, when it is 

 down on its legs upon the branch, you may approach it 

 with less care. But if it is standing erect, the greatest 

 precaution is necessary, for should it discover you, it in- 

 stantly flies off, frequently to such a distance that it would 

 be vain to follow. 



"Turkeys are easily killed if shot in the head, the 

 neck, or the upper part of the breast; but if hit in the hind 

 parts only, they often fly so far as to be lost to the hunter. 

 During winter many of our real hunters shoot them by 

 moonlight, on the roosts, where these birds will fre- 



