THE TURKEY. 
131 
days of their life, would be very dangerous to them, 
they having then no other protection than a delicate, 
soft, hairy down. In very rainy seasons wild turkeys 
are scarce, because, when completely wetted, the 
young rarely survive. 
“ At the expiration of about two weeks, the young 
leave the ground on which they had previously re- 
posed at night under the female, and follow her to 
some low, large branch of a tree, where they nestle 
under the broadly curved wings of their vigilant and 
fostering parent. The time then approaches in 
which they seek the open ground or prairie land du- 
ring the day, in search of strawberries, and subse- 
quently of dewberries, blackberries, and grasshop- 
pers ; thus securing a plentiful food, and enjoying 
the influence of the genial sun. They frequently 
dust themselves in shallow cavities of the soil, or on 
ant-hills, in order to clean oil' the loose skin of their 
growing feathers, and rid themselves of ticks and 
other vermin. 
“ The young turkeys now grow rapidly, and in 
the month of August, when several broods flock to- 
gether, and are led by their mothers to the forest, 
they are stout and quite able to secure themselves 
from the unexpected attacks of wolves, foxes, lynxes, 
and even cougars, by rising quickly from the ground, 
aided by their strong legs, and reaching with ease 
the upper limbs of the tallest tree. Amongst the 
numerous enemies of the wild turkey, the most 
dreaded are the large diurnal and nocturnal birds of 
