WILD TURKEY. 
169 
that the female may not he withdrawn from the grati- 
fication of his desires. At this time the females shun 
the males during the greater part of the day ; the latter 
become clumsy and careless, meet each other peacefully, 
and so entirely cease to gobble, that the hens are obliged 
to court their advances, calling loudly and almost conti- 
nually for them. The female may then be observed 
caressing the male, and imitating his peculiar gestures, 
in order to excite his amorousness. 
The cocks, even when on the roost, sometimes strut 
and gobble, but more generally merely elevate the tail, 
and utter the puff \ on which the tail and other feathers 
suddenly subside. On light or moonshining nights, 
near the termination of the breeding season, they repeat 
this action, at intervals of a few minutes, for several 
hours together, without rising from their perches. 
The sexes then separate ; the males, being much 
emaciated, cease entirely to gobble, retire and conceal 
themselves by prostrate trees, in secluded parts of the 
forest, or in the almost impenetrable privacy of a cane- 
brake. Rather than leave their hiding places, they 
suffer themselves to be approached within a short 
distance, when they seek safety in their speed of foot; 
at this season, however, they are of no value to the 
hunter, being meagre and covered with ticks. By thus 
retiring, using very little exercise, and feeding on 
peculiar grasses, they recover their flesh and strength, 
and when this object is attained, again congregate, and 
recommence their rambles. 
About the middle of April, when the weather is dry, 
the female selects a proper place in which to deposit 
her eggs, secured from the encroachment of water, and, 
as far as possible, concealed from the watchful eye of 
the crow : this crafty bird espies the hen going to her 
nest, and having discovered the precious deposit, waits 
for the absence of the parent, and removes every one 
of the eggs from the spot, that he may devour them at 
leisure. The nest is placed on the ground, either on a 
dry ridge, in the fallen top of a dead leafy tree, under 
a thicket of sumach or briars, or by the side of a log : 
