Page:Bird-lore Vol 03.djvu/206

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A Bird of the Season
191


rearing these delicate chicks and fewer have been lost through disease. Two of the Turkey hens are not good mothers, neglecting the chicks, so that it has been found necessary to take the eggs from these Turkeys and hatch them under hens, and when the young Turkeys have grown as large as their foster-mother, it is amusing to see these large, clumsy fowls rush at her when she has found a titbit, often buffeting her roughly between them. If at this age they should ever attempt to get under her wings she would certainly be lifted off her feet. The marvelous way which young Quail and Partridges have of disap- pearing and making themselves indistinguishable among the dead leaves has often been related, but 1 hardly thought it possible that these larger cousins of the Grouse could be successful in this ruse. On June 14, of this year, a MALE WILD TURKEY AT THE NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL PARK Turkey mother brought off eight chicks from her nest of leaves near the center of the range, and they were allowed to remain in the enclosure a day before being removed to the pheasant -breeding coops away from rats and other vermin. In catching the young birds no precautions were taken, ex- cept to drive the hen Turkey and chicks to an opening in the undergrowth and then separate the mother from her brood. Two of the young birds were picked up, but ten minutes' search failed to discover a trace of the remaining si,x. although it was certain that they were within a radius of five feet. It was necessary to allow the two captured chicks to go, and then drive the mother to the spot, whereupon, at her low cluck, the entire si.x appeared as if b magic. She was then driven against a perpendicular ciiflF of rock and with the help of a third man and about five minutes' search, all eight birds were secured. This year one of the Turkeys nested a second