218 
NESTS AND EGGS OF 
an advance is ordered towards richer pastures. If there is an abundance 
of food, the large flocks dissolve into smaller ones, composed of individuals 
of all ages and sexes. A paucity of the same, brought about by deep 
snows, induces the birds to approach the haunts of man, where they obtain 
a subsistence by consorting with the jDoultry, or by entering the open doors 
of corn-cribs. 
When the young are nearly grown, in October, the adult females — 
which dwell apart from their lords, each at the head of her numerous 
family — gather in the rich bottom-lands of our Western rivers. These 
families unite with others, until jjarties of seventies and eighties are the 
flnal results. The old males associate in parties of from twenty to a hun- 
dred, and move simultaneously into the same territories, but are carefully 
avoided by the mother-birds, on account of the hatred which the former 
bear towards their nearly grown children. This unparental disposition, 
which leads the males to destroy their offspring, is more especially vented 
upon the young males, and is doubtless inspired by jealousy. 
The migration are mostly made on foot. But when a stream inter- 
vened, a stay of one or two days upon its banks occurs before any attempt 
is made to cross. The manoeuvres of the old males are then rather ludic- 
rous. They parade themselves up and down the banks, utter to each 
other their characteristic gobble, as if to raise their courage to the point 
necessary to surmount the barrier. The females and the young assume in 
less degree the same demeanor. After this lengthy prejoaration, both young 
and old mount to the summit of a tall tree, and at the leader’s signal, 
wing their flight for the opposite shore. Some, hoAveyer, overcome by 
fatigue, drop into the water. These, with wings close-]3ressed to the body 
and expanded tail, call their legs into vigorous action, and soon gain the 
shore, where they are at length able to extricate themselves from the per- 
ilous situation. If the stream is wide, the birds are often thrown into a 
state of bewilderment, and become easy victims to the hunter’s rifle. Ad- 
vantage is not only taken of these movements, but from the fact that the 
birds are hard to approach in the daytime, many a gunner by watching 
