WILD TURKEY 1IUNT1N<;. 19 



" pen," — a gobbler who will listcu to the plaiutivc note of 

 the female until he has tried its quavers, its length, its re- 

 petitions, by every rule nature has given him — and then, 

 perhaps not answer, except in a smothered voice, for 

 fear of being deceived ; — such a turkey will W se- 

 lect to break a lance with, and, in spite of the chances 

 against him, win. 



We then have here the best specimen of wild tur- 

 key-hunting ; an exhibition of skill between the perfec- 

 tion of animal instinct, and the superior intellect 

 of man. 



The turkey-hunter, armed with his "call," starts 

 into the forest ; he bears upon his shoulder the trusty 

 gun. He is either informed of the presence of turkeys, 

 and has a particular place or bird in view, or he makes 

 his way cautiously along the banks of some running 

 Fteam; his progress is slow and silent; it may be that 

 he unexpectedly hears a noise, sounding like distant 

 thunder ; he then knows that he is in close proximity 

 of the game, and that he has disturbed it to flight. 

 "When such is the case, his work is comparatively done. 

 We will, for illustration, select a more difficult hunt. 

 The day wears towards noon, the patient hunter has 

 met no " sign," when suddenly a slight noise Is heard— 

 not unlike, to unpractised ears, a thousand other wood- 

 land sounds; the hunter listens; again the sound is 

 heard, as if a pebble dropped into the bosom of a little 

 lake. It may be that woodpecker, who, desisting from 



