12 THE HIVE OF THE BEE-HUNTER. 



its pinions, that they find it difficult to cross rivers 

 moderately wide, and in the attempt the weak and very 

 fat, are often sacrificed. 



We have seen the wild turkey gathering in troops 

 upon the limb of some tall cotton wood on the banks of 

 the Mississippi, and we have known by their prepara- 

 tions that they intended to cross the river. There on 

 their elevated roost they would set, stretching out their 

 necks as if gathering a long breath for their, to them, 

 prolonged flight. In the mean while, the " squatter," 

 on the opposite bank, would prepare himself to take ad- 

 vantage of the birds' necessities. Judging from expe- 

 rience where about the " drove " would land on his side 

 of the stream, he would lie concealed until the flight 

 commenced. The birds would finally launch themselves 

 in the mid air, as in their progress it could be seen that 

 they constantly descended toward the earth, — the bank 

 would be reached, but numbers exhausted would fail to 

 reach the land, and would fall a prey to the insatiate 

 wave, or the rapacious wants of man. 



In hunting the wild turkey, there is vmfortunately 

 too little excitement to make it a favorite sport with 

 those who follow the hounds. But the uncertainty of 

 meeting with the bird, even if you know its haunts, and 

 the sudden termination of the sport, even if successful, 

 makes successful turkey hunters few and far between. 



The cautiousness of the wild turkey is extraordinary ; 

 it excels that of the deer, or any other game whatever ; 



3^ 



