88 
WILD TURKEY. 
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 reposed 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 during the day, in search of straw¬ 
berries, and subsequently of dewberries, blackberries, and grass¬ 
hoppers, 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 off 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 together, and are led by their 
mothers to the forest, they are stout and quite able to secure them¬ 
selves 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 prey, 
and the Lynx (.Felis rufa ;), who sucks their eggs, and is extremely 
expert at seizing both parent and young: he follows them for some 
distance, in order to ascertain their course, and then, making a 
rapid circular movement, places himself in ambush before them, 
and waits until, by a single bound, he can fasten on his victim. 
The following circumstance is related by Bartram: “Having 
seen a flock of Turkeys at some distance, I approached them with 
great caution; when, singling out a large cock, and being just on the 
point of firing, I observed that several young cocks were affrighted, 
and in their language warned the rest to be on their guard against 
