The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-07-01


Clouds"
'What is the name of that saint, mann
MAJ
The mother, then watering the fair
child's head with tears, answered.
Her name is-Sister Egerie.'
Wild Turkeys---their History and Habits.
The wild turkey belongs to the GaAi.
noe and to the order maleagras gaNopavo,
and is found only 10 America. Its orig
inal range exte Ddcd from the Northwest.
ern part of the United States to the 18TH
mus of Panama. 1t is now mostly con.
fined to the unsettled or thinly Inhabited
portions of Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennes-
see, Alabama, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois,
aud the vast territory lying west and
south west of these States, though found
in small numbers in Georgia, Florid Ia, the
Carolinas, Virginia and Pennsylvania
Turkeys of mongrel variety, produced
by crossing of the wild and tame breeds,
are found in the mountainous parts of
Sussex County, N. j., and in Western
New York; and are commonly called wild
turkeys.
Some of the peculiar habits of this bird
are thus described in the transactions
of the American Institute" for 1852 -
The wild turkeys do not confne them
selves to any particular food; they eat In
dian corn, all kinds of berries, fruits,
grains, and grasses; and even tadpoles,
grasshoppers, young frogs, and lizards,
are constantly found in their crops; but
where the pecan nut is plenty, they pre-
fer that food to any other. Their more
general prediction is, however, for the
acorn, or mast, chestnut, etc, on which
they readily fatten. About the beginning
of October, while the mast or shock. still
remains on the trees, they assemble in
focks, and direct their course to the rich
bottom lands At this season they are
observed in great numbers in the valleys
of the Ohio and Mississippi. The time
of this rruption is known to the Indians
by the name of turkey month. The males
usually termed gobblers. associate in par
ties numbering from ten to a hundred,
and seek their food apart from the fe-
males; while the latter either move about
singly with their young, then nearly two
thirds grown, or, in company with other
females and their families, form troops,
consisting Of seventy or eighty
all of whom are intent on a.
Voiding the old males, who, whenever an
opportunity offers, attack and destroy the
young by repeated blows on the head
All parties, however, travel in the same
direction, and on foot, unless they are
to seek their individual safety,
~ flying from the hunters dog, or their
march is impeded by natural distractions.
When the turkeys have surmounted all
difficulties. and arrived at their land of
abundance, they disperse in small focks,
of individuals of all sexes and
lges intermingled, who devour all the
mast as they advance; this occurs about
be middle of November. 1t has been
observed that, after these long journeys, !
he turkeys become SO familiar near the
arm houses and plantations as to enter
he stables and co.n-cribs in search of
ood; in this way they pass the Autumn,
Ind part of the Winter.
Early in March they begin to pair; and
or short time previous the females sep
rate from and shun their mates, though |
be latter pertinaciously follow them, ut
ering their gobbliDg notes. When ma.
Il for h.
hus associated, follow their favorite and
cost in the immediate neighborbood, il
lot on the same tree, until they begin to
ay, when they change their mode Of life,
u order to save their eggs, which the
male uniformly breaks, if in bis power,
bat the female may not be Withdrawn
rom his company and attention. At this
ime, the females shun the males during
he greater part of the day; the males be-
omes clumsy and careless, meet each 9th
r peacefully, and cease to gobble. The
exes then separate: the males retire and
conceal themselves 10 secluded parts of
he forest, or in the almost impenetrable
ecesses of canebrake. About the mid
TIC VI ApilI, WIN tuC % VI
be fem ale selects a proper place in which
o deposit her eggs, secured from the en-
roachment of water, and as far as posi-
lie, concealed from the watchful eye of .
be crow; CHS crafty bird espies the hen
.oing to her nest, and having discovered
be precious deposit, he waits for the alb
ence of the parent and then removes ev-
ry one of the eggs from the spot, that
10 may deyour them at his leisure.
The nest is placed on the ground, eth
r on dry ridge iu the fallen top of a
cad leafy tree under thieket of sumach
+ briers by the side of log; it is of sim
lie structure, being composed of a few
ried leaves. In this receptacle, the eggs
re deposited, sometimes to the number
f twenty, but more usually from nine to
fifteen; they are whitsh, spotted with red.
sh brown, like those of the domestic tur-
icy. The female always approaches her
lest with great caution, varying her course
o as rarely to reach it twice by the same
cute; and on leaving her charge, she is