104 
TURKEYS. 
pairing-time, when lie again disappeared, but re- 
turned no more, baying probably been killed *. 
Male birds of the gallinaceous or poultry tribe, 
which associate with a plurality of females, are in 
general less attached to the young birds of their 
species than others, which pair and confine them- 
selves to one mate. The following is, however, a 
curious instance that this insensibility is not invari- 
ably the case. 
In May, a Turkey-hen was sitting upon eggs, and 
as the cock in his solitude began to be uneasy and 
appear dejected, he was allowed to remain in the 
same space along with her. He immediately, on 
being admitted, sat down by the hen, and it was at 
first supposed that this was a mere mark of affection, 
but it was soon found that he had taken some of 
the eggs from under her, which he carefully covered 
with his own body. The maid who looked after the 
poultry, thought this mode of hatching would be at- 
tended with little advantage, and therefore put the eggs 
back again under the hen ; but the cock was no sooner 
at liberty than he again carried some of them away 
as before. The owner, when he observed this, re- 
solved, for the sake of experiment, to let the cock 
have his own way, and caused a nest to be prepared 
with as many eggs as its large body was able to 
cover. The cock seemed to be highly pleased with 
this mark of confidence, sat with great patience on 
the eggs, and was so attentive to the care of hatch- 
ing them, that he scarcely took time to go in search 
of food. At the expiration of the usual time, twenty- 
* Edin. Phil. Journ No. viii. 
