124 
THE TURKEY. 
a river, they select the highest eminences, that their 
flight may be the more certain ; and here they some- 
times remain for a day or more, as if for the purpose 
of consultation, or to be duly prepared for so ha- 
zardous a voyage. During this time the males gob- 
ble obstreperously, and strut with extraordinary im- 
portance, as if they would animate their companions, 
and inspire them with the utmost degree of hardi- 
hood ; the females and young also assume much of 
the pompous air of the males, the former spreading 
their tails, and moving silently around. At length 
the assembled multitude mount to the tops of the 
highest trees, whence, at a signal note from a leader, 
the whole together wing their way towards the op- 
posite shore. All the old and fat ones cross without 
difficulty, even when the river exceeds a mile in 
width ; but the young, meagre, and weak, frequent- 
ly fall short of the desired landing, and are forced to 
swim for their lives ; this they do dexterously 
enough, spreading their tails for a support, closing 
their wings to the body, stretching the neck for- 
wards, and striking out quickly and forcibly with 
their legs. If, in thus endeavouring to regain the 
land, they approach an elevated or inaccessible bank, 
their exertions are remitted, they resign themselves 
to the stream for a short time, in order to gain 
t strength, and then, with one violent effort, escape 
from the water. But in this attempt all are not 
successful ; some of the weaker, as they cannot rise 
sufficiently high in the air to clear the bank, fall 
