How many colors does he wear?
When the turkey is being prepared for the Thanksgiving dinner, ask mother for the foot. Are there any feathers on it? Has it the same number of toes that you find on a rooster's foot? Is the arrangement of the toes the same?
Perhaps you find scales on the legs of the turkey. Do you find them also on hens' legs? On which side of the leg,—front or back—are the scales the larger?
When I was a little girl I liked to pull a tendon that I found in the turkey's foot after it had been cut off. It was amusing to see the toes curl up. I did not know then that when birds roost at night this tendon is stretched as they bend their legs. Then the toes grasp the perch and hold the bird on. When it stretches its leg to leave the roost the toes spread out, but not until then Because of this birds can go to sleep without the least fear of falling. What kind of perch do they choose, a wide one or a narrow one? Why?
Can you tell which is the hen turkey and which the gobbler? Explain. On which one do you find a hairy tuft on the breast?
Did you ever hear of the caruncle on the head of the turkey? Compare this with the comb in domestic fowls. Does it differ in shape? Do ducks and geese have combs?
Fig. 332. A turkey likes to roam through the fields.
What is the color of the turkey's face? Does it change color? Do you notice any difference in color when the turkey is angry? What are the turkey's wattles?
Notice the fourth toe. Why is it placed in opposite direction to the others? I wonder whether it enables the fowl to grip the perch; and whether it gives the turkey a wide span for support in running over loose brush.