300 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE.

when she took wing and flew farther off, but not out of the
field. On this the dog returned nearly to the place where
the young ones lay concealed in the grass; which the old
bird no sooner perceived, than she flew back again, settled
just before the dog’s nose, and a second time acted the
same part, rolling and tumbling about till she drew off his
attention from the brood, and thus succeeded in preserving
them.”
The Wila The Wild Turkey was at one time common in
Turkey. ali parts- of America, but it is fast diminishing,
and is now seldom found except in the western territories.
It is often larger than the domestic turkey; it is gregarious
and feeds on grain, seeds, and fruits. It is the original stock
of the domestic turkey. Mr. Lucien Bonaparte has given a
long and interesting account of this bird. He says they
sometimes fly across broad rivers, ascending the tallest trees
on one side, and the whole flock starting together. Some
of the younger and weaker birds sometimes fall into the
water and either paddle to the shore or are drowned.
The Domestic The Wild Turkey was first carried to Europe
Turkey. and other parts of the eastern continent and
domesticated in the 16th century. It is now extensively
diffused over the world, and its flesh is ranked among the
most delicious poultry. The cock is a noisy fellow, strutting
about, and displaying his plumage with great ostentation ; he
is also very quarrelsome. The hen seems to possess a more
modest and retiring disposition, wandering about the fields
with a melancholy and dejected air, occasionally uttering a
short plaintive note. She is exceedingly attached to her
young, but leads them away from danger without ever
attempting to defend them by repelling an attack.
The Sagacityof Of the sagacity of the Turkey Audubon
the Turkey. says: “While at Henderson, on the Ohio, I
had a fine male turkey, which had been reared from its
earliest youth under my care. It became so tame that it