14 



THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 



The caruncle on the forehead is short, and incapable of 

 elongation; and the fasciculus on the breast is not always 

 present. The prevailing tinge of the plumage is dusky 

 gray; each feather having a metallic band, less brilliant 

 than that of the male, then a blackish band, and a grayish 

 terminal fringe. On the feathers of the neck and under 

 surface the black band is for the most part obliterated. 

 All the parts, without exception, are duller than those of 

 the male; less white exists on the primary wing-feathers, 

 and the secondaries are entirely destitute of bands. The 

 tail is similar in colour to that of the male. 



" Until the naked membrane acquires its tinge of red, 

 it is not easy to distinguish between the two sexes; but on 

 the approach of the first winter, the young males show a 

 rudiment of the tuft of hairs upon the breast, consisting at 

 first of a mere tubercle; in the second year the tuft is 

 about three inches long; and in the third the bird attains 

 its adult form, although it certainly continues to increase 

 in size and beauty for several years. Females have their 

 full size and colouring at the end of four years; they then 

 possess the pectoral fascicle, four or five inches in length, 

 but much thinner than in the male. This appendage is 

 more frequently observed, and is acquired at an earlier pe- 

 riod of life, in the wild than in the domestic female." 



The following important features of the history of the 

 Turkey, are selected from the account furnished by Mr. 

 Audubon, who it appears has studied the habits, and 

 written more largely, of that bird than any other natural 

 historian. 



" About the middle of April, when the season is dry, 

 the hens begin to look out for a place in which to deposit 

 their eggs. This place requires to be as much as possible 

 concealed from the eye of the Crow, as that bird often 

 watches the Turkey when going to her nest, and, waiting 

 in the neighbourhood until she has left it, removes 

 and eats the eggs. The nest, which consists of a few 

 withered leaves, is placed on the ground, in a hollow 

 scooped out, by the side of a log, or in the fallen top 

 of a dry leafy tree, under a thicket of sumach or briars, 

 or a few feet within the edge of a cane-brake, but always 

 in a dry place. The eggs, which are of a dull cream co- 

 lour, sprinkled with red dots, sometimes amount to twenty, 

 although the more usual number is from ten to fifteen. 

 When depositing her eggs the female always approaches 

 the nest with extreme caution, scarcely ever taking the 

 same course twice, and when about to leave them, covers 

 1hem carefully with leaves, so that is very difficult for a 

 person who may have seen the bird to discover the nest. 

 Indeed few Turkeys' nests are found, unless the female has 

 been suddenly started from them,, or a cunning, lynx, 



fox, or crow, has sucked the eggs, and left their shells scat- 

 tered about. 



"Turkey hens not unfrequently prefer islands for de- 

 positing their eggs and rearing their young, probably be- 

 cause such places are less frequented by hunters, and 

 because the great masses of drifted timber which usually 

 accumulate at their heads, may protect and save them in 

 cases of great emergency. 



" When an enemy passes within sight of a female, while 

 lying or sitting, she never moves, unless she knows that 

 she has been discovered, but crouches lower until he has 

 passed. I have frequently approached within five or six 

 paces of a nest, of which I was previously aware, on as- 

 suming an air of carelessness, and whistling or talking to 

 myself, the female remaining undisturbed; whereas if I 

 went cautiously towards it, she would never suffer me to 

 approach within twenty paces, but would run off, with her 

 tail spread on one side, to a distance of twenty or thirty 

 yards, when assuming a stately gait, she would walk about 

 deliberately, uttering every now and then a cluck. They 

 seldom abandon their nest, when it has been discovered 

 by men; but, I believe, never go near it again, when a 

 snake or other animal has sucked any of the eggs. If the 

 eggs have been destroyed or carried off, the female soon 

 yelps again for a male; but, in general, she rears only a 

 single brood each season. Several hens sometimes asso- 

 ciate together, I believe for their mutual safety, deposit 

 their eggs in the same nest, and rear their broods together. 

 I once found three sitting on forty-two eggs. In such 

 cases, the common nest is always watched by one of the 

 females, so that no crow, raven, or perhaps even pole-cat, 

 dares approach it. 



" The mother will not leave her eggs, when near hatch- 

 ing, under any circumstances, while life remains. She 

 will even allow an enclosure to be made around her, and 

 thus suffer imprisonment, rather than abandon them. I 

 once witnessed the hatching of a brood of Turkeys, which 

 I watched for the purpose of securing them, together with 

 the parent. I concealed myself on the ground within a 

 very few feet, and saw her raise herself half the length of 

 her legs, look anxiously upon the eggs, and cluck with a 

 sound peculiar to the mother on such occasions, carefully 

 remove each half-empty shell, and with her bill caress 

 and dry the young birds, that already stood tottering and 

 attempting to make their way out of the nest. Yes, I 

 have seen this, and have left mother and young to better 

 care than mine could have proved ; — to the care of their 

 Creator and mine. I have seen them all emerge from the 

 shell, and in a few moments after, tumble, roll, and push 

 each other forward, with astonishing and inscrutable in- 

 stinct. 



