Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1856-12-04
Anin.ote0 Nature.
Tufkeys-Thefr History, Habits,
and Culture.

Il urkeys-Thefr History, Habits,
and Culture.
The wild turkey belongs to the Gailina
aud to the maIsogris gallpapo, and is
found only in America. Its original
range extended from the northwestern
part of the United States 10 the lsthmas
of Panama. II ia now mostly confined
to the unsettled or thihly inhabited por-
lions Of Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee
Alabama. Ohio. Kentucky, lndians, II
linois. and the vast territory lying ives.
and southwest of these States. though
fund in small numbers in Georgia,
Florida. the Csrolinas. Virginia, and
Pennsylvania. Turkeys of a mongrel
variety, produced BY crossing Of the
wild and lame breeds. are found in the
mountainous parts of Sussex County. n.
J. and in western New York. and usually
called wild turkeys. They are occasion
ally brought to the New York and Phila-
delphia markets.
Some of the peculiar habits OF this
bird ara thus described in thes Trans
actions of the American Institute" for
1882.
The wild turkeys do not confne them.
selves to any paticulsr food; they eat
Indian corn. all sorts OF berries. fruits
grains. and grasses; and even tsdpoles
grssshoppers. young frogs. and lizards
are constantly found in their crops; bur
y here the pecan nut "a variety Of The
hickory) is plenty. they prefer that food
10 every other. Their more genera
prediction is. however. for the acorn
or mast. chestnut. beechnut, etc.. or
which they readily fstten.
About the beginning Of October. while
the mas, or shack still remains on the
trees, they assemble in focks. and direct
their course TO the rich bottom lands
Al this season they are observed in gres
numbers in the valleys Of the Ohio anG
Mississippi. The time of this irrupiior
is known to Indians by the name Of tur
key month.
The males usually termed goblers as
sociate in parties numbering from ten t.
Q hundred. and seek their food spsr
from the females; while the latter eithe
move about sinely with their young
then nearly two thirds grown, or. in com
pany with other females and their fami
lies, form troops. sometimes consistin;
of seventy or eighty individuals. all o
whom are intent on avoiding the OLE
males. who, whenever al opportunit,
offers. attack and destroy the young b,
repeated blows on the head. A wicked
unnatural predisposition to evil. which
we can neither excuse nor account for
All parties however, travel in the sam,
direction, and on foot. unless they ar,
compelled to seek their individual safet,
BY aying from the hunters dog. or ,hei
march is impeded BY natural obstruc
tons.
When The turkeys have surmountet
oil difficulties, and arrived in their Ian.
Of abundance, they dispense in small
focks. composed Of individuals Of al
sexes and ages in,ermingled. who devou
ell the mast 40 they advance: this oc
ours about the middle Of November.
has been observed that after these lon,
journeys. the turkeys become SO familia
near the farm horses and plantations. q
TO enter the stables and corn-cribs il
search Of food; in this way they pass III,
autum and part of the winter. Durin,
this season, great numbers ere killed b,
the inhabitants, who preserve them in |
frozen state. in order 10 transport then
70 distant markets.
Early in March they begin to pair
and for short time previous the female.
sepersle and shUn their mates. though
the latter periinaciously follow them ut
sering their gobbling notes. The sexe.
roost apart, but al no great distance, S.
shat when the females utter call, every
male within hearing responds, rolling
note after note in rhe most rapid success
sion; not as when spreading the tail anc
strutling near the hen. but in q voice re
sembling that Of the tame turkey, wher
he hears any unusual or frequently
sepeased noise. Where the turkeys ar,
nsmerons, the woods from one end I,
the other. sometimes for hundreds o
rasds, resound with this remarkabl voic,
Of thar wooing. uttered responsivel,
from their roosting- places this is contin
ued for about On hour. and on the rising
of the sun they silently descend from
their perches, and the males begin Il
strut, for the purpose Of winning tn
sdmiraiion Of the females. II the cal
BE- given from tbe ground, the males il
fhe vicinity fly toward the individual
and whether they perceive her OF not, e
rect and spread heir tails. throw the bea'
backward. distend their comb and wattles
strut pompously. and rustic their wing
and body feathers. While thus occu
pied, shey occasionally halt to look GU
for the female. and then resume thei
sssutting and pompous movement. Du
ring this acrimonious approach the male
often encounter each other, and fierce bal
,Ies eusues, when the conflict is only ter
nina ted By the fight OF death Of the van
quished.
When mated for the season one o
more females thus associated, follow thei
favorite, and roost in the immediai
ueishborhood, IL not on the same tree
until they b,gin to lay. when they chang
their mode OF life, in order to save thei
ems. which the male uniformly breaks
II in his power [another wicked Trait
that the femsle may not be withdraw
from his company aud attention. A
o. hn ma o9 df1