160 



COMMON TURKEY. 



appearing, the parent changed her note, and sent 

 forth another cry, which in an instant gave life to 

 the whole trembling tribe, and they ail flocked 

 round her with expressions of pleasure, as if con- 

 scious of their happy escape from danger." 



The motions of the Turkey, when agitated 

 with desire or inflamed with rage, are very similar 

 to those of the Peacock : it erects its tail, and 

 spreads it like a fan, whilst its wings droop and 

 trail on the ground, uttering at the same time a 

 dull hollow sound ; it struts round and round with 

 solemn pace, assumes all the dignity of the most 

 majestic of birds, and thus expresses its attach- 

 ment to its females, or its resentment to those 

 objects which have excited its indignation. 



Turkies are bred in great numbers in Norfolk^ 

 Suffolk, and some other counties, from whence 

 they are driven to the London markets in flocks of 

 several hundreds. The drivers manage 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 



These birds are kept in a domestic state in 

 many parts of the old continent, and were intro- 

 duced into this country during the reign of Henry 

 the eighth, and about the year 1585 began to form 

 one of the articles of our rural Christmas feasts. 



