These birds occupy the woods, in summer, in small flocks, which, when united, form bands of 100 or 200 individuals, and venture to quit their retreats, and ap proach near the inhabited parts of the country. They are swift runners, but fly awkwardly. About the month of March they become so fat, that they are easily run down by a man on horseback, When they are all as sembled, they march in profound silence to their noc turnal haunts, and perch near one another in the large trees, manifesting a preference to branches that are withered, or stripped of their leaves. One may then ap proach very near to them, as they seem not to be scar ed either by the sight of a man, or the noise of a fowl ing-piece; nay, the sight of their falling and dead com panions disturbs not their apparent sense of security ; and the same circumstance, which has been ascribed to stupidity, has been remarked of all the gallinaceous fowls of North America. During the day these birds mutually protect one another ; for the first of them which perceives a bird of prey, even at a distance, utters a call of alarm, and instantly all squat close down on the ground, and thus elude the sight of their adversary. About day-break they make the forests resound with their vociferous cackling, which lasts for an hour before sunrise. They then alight on the ground, and go in quest of wild berries, acorns, mast, &c. or search for insect food. The cocks among themselves are fierce and pugnacious; but, in other respects, evince little courage. As one suffices for several hens, their combats often originate in jealousy. The conqueror struts with inflated breast, expanded tail, red face, and relaxed frontal caruncle, making a singular inward noise, which seems to shake his whole frame. The disposition of the female is, in general, much more mild than that of the male, insomuch indeed, that when leading forth her young family to cater, though so large, and apparently powerful a bird, she will often afford them very little protection against any rapcious animal that may come in her way, but rather warns them to shift for them selves.
In spring the females lay their eggs, which are usual ly from fourteen to eighteen, and white, mixed with reddish or yellow freckles. For the purpose of incubation
they select obscuro and retired spots, as the male is apt to destroy them. Even the hen herself has sometimes been known to eat them ; but for the most part she sits with so much perseverance, that, if fresh eggs he intro duced into the nest, immediately on the young being hatched, she will continue sitting, if permitted, for two months. It should seem, however, from an anecdote re lated in the Memoirs of the Academy of Stockholm that the cock turkey is not incapable of performing the citifies of a nurse, M. Carlson remarks on this occasion, that the total neglect of their young, ascribed to male birds that associate with a plurality of females, isnot general. Geese are of this description, and yet the gander protects the young with the greatest care. But the instance of a turkey cock sitting on eggs seems the more singular, because both in a wild and tame state the males are ac customed to destroy the nests of the females, in order that they may have them sooner free for pairing; and, for this reason, the cock is carefully separated from her while she is hatching. In some temperate and warm countries the hen also lays eggs in autumn, which are generally used in cookery, as a brood is seldom perfected from them ; whereas those deposited in spring, not being more numer ous than the mother can hatch, are usually allowed to remain under her care. The young require to be watch ed with attention, as they are liable to perish from hunger or redundant moisture. In this island they are bred in great numbers, in Norfolk, and some other counties, whence they are driven to the London market in flocks of several hundreds, the attendants managing them with great fa cility, by means of a bit of red rag tied to the end of a long stick, which, from the antipathy which they bear to that colour, effectually answers the purpose of a scourge, The quality and size of those reared in Norfolk are reek oned superior to those from any other part of the king dom.