i 70 
MEI.EAGRIS GALLOPAVO. 
it is of a very simple structure, being composed^ 
fern dried leaves. In this receptacle the eggs are 
sited, sometimes to the number of twenty, but 11,0 
usually from nine to fifteen ; they arc whitish, sp*.J 
rvith reddish brown, like those of the domestic J 
Their manner of building 1 , number of eggs, peri* 1 ' / 
incubation, &c. appear to correspond throughout 
Union, as I have received exactly similar accounts 
i.l,„ a. . .. v •, . 
s fr f " 
111 * 1 ' 
the northern limits of the turkey range, to the 
southern regions of Florida, Louisiana, and the 1 
wilds of Missouri. A 
The female always approaches her nest with ?!' ji 
caution, varying her course so as rarely to re 111 j, 
twice by the same route ; and, on leaving her ch* ^ 
she is very careful to cover the whole with dry i 
with which she conceals it so artfully, as to ® 8 . 
" _ - - .irtnuiy, as to n l “, ui 
extremely difficult, even for one who has watch*/# 
movements, to indicate the exact spot : licnc*' 'p 
nests are found, and these are generally discover*’ j]# 
fortuitously starting the female from them, or h. v ' 'j 
. r> i « i ii - - i gO* 
appearance of broken shells, scattered around by/ 
cunning lynx, fox, or crow. When laying or s /p 
n A J Viu M I " m u my ill" i m 
ihe turkey hen is not readily driven from her p ** A 
the approach of apparent danger; hut, if an V’^p 
appeal's, she crouches as low as possible, and sU ^ 
it to pass. A circumstance related by Mr A 1 "’ 1 / 1 
will shew how much intelligence they display o 11 V 
occasions : having discovered a sHting'hen, he reJO^v! 
air. whistling. or t 8 df 
that,, by assuming a careless air, whistling 
to himself, he was permitted to’pass within five ‘"/I 
_ > . , I ““n-cu w; jiaas » itmii -ill" 
teet of her; but, if he advanced cautiously, sin’ " A 
first Ollfl'oil in *.t • J 
- _ a J f VUUl.lVUoJJ 
not suffer lnm to come within twenty pac 
- - — - — '■ v uuic wi in in twenty paces, vA 
on twenty or thirty yards with her tail expanded, '/p 
assuming a stately gait, she paused on every 
• I, ' [l.llisi.u till Cl** ■ .(IIJ 
occasionally uttering a chuck. They seldom a*> a pu' 
j ...iiTiiiig i ntu ii. iney seiaoiu jw 
their nests on account of being discovered by nia' 1 ; 
should a snake, or any other animal, slick one 0 ^ 
eggs, the parent leaves them altogether. If tb* >)lt -i' 
be removed, she again seeks the male and recom 11 /, g 
v r isft slip lavs lint rvnp nest & 
laymg, though otherwise she lays but one nest 1 
