The Turkey is irregularly migratory, as well as irregularly gregarious.
With reference to the first of these circumstances, I have to state,
that whenever the mast * of one portion of the country happens greatly
to exceed that of another, the Turkeys are insensibly led toward that
spot, by gradually meeting in their haunts with more fruit the nearer
they advance towards the place where it is most plentiful. In this manner
flock follows after flock, until one district is entirely deserted, while
another is, as it were, overflowed by them. But as these migrations are
irregular, and extend over a vast expanse of country, it is necessary that
I should describe the manner in which they take place.
About the beginning of October, when scarcely any of the seeds and
fruits have yet fallen from the trees, these birds assemble in flocks, and gradually
move towards the rich bottom lands of the Ohio and Mississippi.
The males, or, as they are more commonly called, the gobblers, associate in
parties of from ten to a hundred, and search for food apart from the
females; while the latter are seen either advancing singly, each with its
brood of young, then about two-thirds grown, or in connexion with other
families, forming parties often amounting to seventy or eighty individuals,
all intent on shunning the old cocks, which, even when the young
birds have attained this size, will fight with, and often destroy them by
repeated blows on the head. Old and young, however, all move in the
same course, and on foot, unless their progress be interrupted by a river,
or the hunter's dog force them to take wing. When they come upon a
river, they betake themselves to the highest eminences, and there often
remain a whole day, or sometimes two, as if for the purpose of consultation.
During this time, the males are heard gobbling, calling, and
making much ado, and are seen strutting about, as if to raise their
courage to a pitch befitting the emergency. Even the females and
young assume something of the same pompous demeanour, spread out
their tails, and run round each other, purring loudly, and performing
extravagant leaps. At length, when the weather appears settled, and all
around is quiet, the whole party mounts to the tops of the highest trees,
whence, at a signal, consisting of a single cluck, given by a leader, the
flock takes flight for the opposite shore. The old and fat birds easily
get over, even should the river be a mile in breadth ; but the younger
and less robust frequently fall into the water,—not to be drowned, how-
* In America, the term mast is not confined to the fruit of the beech, but is used as a
general name for all kinds of forest fruits, including even grapes and berries.
ever, as might be imagined. They bring their wings close to their body,
spread out their tail as a support, stretch forward their neck, and, striking
out their legs with great vigour, proceed rapidly towards the shore;
on approaching which, should they find it too steep for landing, they
cease their exertions for a few moments, float down the stream until they
come to an accessible part, and by a violent effort generally extricate
themselves from the water. It is remarkable, that immediately after
thus crossing a large stream, they ramble about for some time, as if bewildered.
In this state, they fall an easy prey to the hunter.
When the Turkeys arrive in parts where the mast is abundant, they
separate into smaller flocks, composed of birds of all ages and both sexes,
promiscuously mingled, and devour all before them. This happens
about the middle of November. So gentle do they sometimes become
after these long journeys, that they have been seen to approach the farmhouses,
associate with the domestic fowls, and enter the stables and corncribs
in quest of food. In this way, roaming about the forests, and feeding
chiefly on mast, they pass the autumn and part of the winter.
As early as the middle of February, they begin to experience the impulse
of propagation. The females separate, and fly from the males.
The latter strenuously pursue, and begin to gobble or to utter the
notes of exultation. The sexes roost apart, but at no great distance
from each other. When a female utters a call-note, all the gobblers
within hearing return the sound, rolling note after note with as much
rapidity as if they intended to emit the last and the first together, not
with spread tail, as when fluttering round the females on the ground,
or practising on the branches of the trees on which they have roosted for
the night, but much in the manner of the domestic turkey, when an unusual
or unexpected noise elicits its singular hubbub. If the call of the
female comes from the ground, all the males immediately fly towards the
spot, and the moment they reach it, whether the hen be in sight or not,
spread out and erect their tail, draw the head back on the shoulders, dopress
their wings with a quivering motion, and strut pompously about,
emitting at the same time a succession of puff's from the lungs, and stopping
now and then to listen and look. But whether they spy the female
or not, they continue to puff and strut, moving with as much celerity as
their ideas of ceremony seem to admit. While thus occupied, the males
often encounter each other, in which case desperate battles take place,