Turkeys and chickens and other animals have habits, as boys and girls do, only that they are not bad habits. Did you ever watch turkeys hunting grasshoppers? And did they go in flocks or alone? How do chickens hunt,—in flocks or alone? Which roams farther from home, turkeys or chickens? Do turkeys lay their eggs in the barn or poultry house, as chickens do? Did you ever see a turkey's nest, and where was it?
We have Junior Naturalists in many parts of the world: England, Scotland, Australia, Egypt. Will they have an opportunity to study turkeys? See what you can find out in answer to this question.
A Time-honored Race—Geese.
Geese, as you know, come of a very distinguished race. This is no advantage to them in a social way in the poultry yard, however. There is not a duck nor a turkey nor even a wise rooster, that knows or cares whether in times gone by geese saved a Roman city, or whether they were recognized in ancient Egypt.
Fig. 333. Geese; "a very distinguished race."
The story of the old gray goose was the one I liked best long ago,—the goose that died before Aunt Nabby had enough feathers to make a bed. How often you and I have listened to mother sing about her! And what an inconsiderate old gray goose we thought she was, to die before the feather bed was finished.
Some things for Junior Naturalists to think about come into my mind in connection with Aunt Nabby's goose and others of its kind:
Why do goose feathers make the best beds?
Do you think an old grandmother goose would give enough feathers in her lifetime to make a good bed? I have heard of one that lived sixty years.