baivtram's sandpiper. 51 



Tringa, Totanus, Actiturus, Tringo'ideSt Bartramia, and Eiiliga. Of these, 

 pei'haps the term Actiturus (proposed for it by Prince Chai'les Lucien 

 Bonaparte) will be the one adopted, in which case the bird will stand as 

 Actiturus Bartramius, Bonap. An interesting account of the habits and 

 economy of this bird will be found in Audubon's " Ornitliological Biography," 

 vol. iv., p. 24. — John Gocld. 



THE SWAMPS OF THE MISSISSIPPI. 



BY GEORGE DONALDSON, ESQ. 



('Continued from page 32. J 



The difficulty of approaching animals, particularly in exposed situations, 

 is occasionally very great ; and at the pi'csent moment it would be a difficult 

 matter for me to recollect the different characters in which I have appeared, 

 and the many ruses to which I have resorted, to accomplish this : the most 

 successful in which I ever appeared was in that of a hog, rooting ; disguised 

 in a buffalo robe, and crawling upon all fours. I practiced this Avith great 

 success amongst the Ducks and the Waders, by the side of some of the 

 western rivers, and also in Canada; but, my debut in this chax'acter amongst 

 the Jirst gang of wild Turkeys which I saw, was particularly unfortunate. I 

 came upon them in an old clearance, when they were feeding upon grass- 

 hoppers, (I should rather say locusts). They regarded me Avith much 

 suspicion, and without giving me an oiiportunity of explaining my true 

 character, they flew off, leaving me to practice the deception upon a more 

 unsuspecting party. The information which I subsequently received, and 

 the practice which I afterwards had in hunting th6se beautiful birds, coim- 

 pletely gviaranteed me from going supperless to bed, Avhile living on the 

 banks of the Missouri, or in the bottom lands of the Mississippi ; and I can 

 now impart the secret to you, being far beyond the hearing of the Turkeys, 

 though, neither in this sense nor in that of seeing have thej' any superior, 

 with the exception, probably, of the Turkey Buzzard, which in my opinion 

 possesses the latter power beyond any living creature. 



The ruse, then, for decoj'ing Turkeys, in the months of Aiigust and 

 September, for the purpose of shooting them, is, to provide yourself with a 

 small bone, called the Yelper, which is extracted from the wing, and then 

 betake yourself into such places as Turkeys ai-e known to freqtient (or to 

 " use," as the Americans say) ; and then carefully to conceal yourself under a 

 quantity of brushwood and leaves, and commence calling. If within hearing 

 of a Turkey, she will immediately reply; a repetition of the call from time 



