40 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Maternal affection. 



that he has eaten part of a turkey-cock, which, 

 after it was plucked, and the entrails were taken 

 out, weighed thirty pounds. Lawson saw half a 

 turkey serve eight hungry men for two meals, 

 and says that he has seen others which he be- 

 lieved would each weigh forty pounds. Some 

 writers even assert, that instances have occurred 

 of Turkies weighing no less than sixty pounds. 



The females lay their eggs in spring, generally 

 in some retired and obscure place ; for the cock, 

 enraged at the loss of his mate, while she is em- 

 ployed in hatching, is apt otherwise to break 

 them. They sit on their eggs with so much per- 

 severance, that, if not taken away, they will al- 

 most perish with hunger before they will entirely 

 leave the nest. They are exceedingly affection- 

 ate to their young. *. 



These birds are bred in great numbers in Nor- 

 folk, Suffolk, and some other counties, from 

 whence they are driven to the London markets, 

 in flocks of several hundreds. The drivers ma- 

 nage them with great facility, by means of a bit 

 of red rag tied to the end of a long stick ; which, 

 from the antipathy these birds bear to that 

 colour, effectually answers the purpose of a 

 scourge. - 



Notwithstanding the difficulty of rearing these 

 birds, yet the famous Bisset (as mentioned in the 

 " Eccentric Mirror,") taught six turkey-cocks to 

 go through a regular country-dance; but, in do- 



