48 ADVICE GRATIS TO SPORTSMEN. 



trained to the sport, which, when they come upon the 

 trail of a flock, set out silently on a signal from their 

 master; but, on arriving in sight of the birds, they 

 bark incessantly, with the view of terrifying them, and 

 been making them fly in all directions. Once they have 

 been separated in this manner, in calm warm weather, 

 the sportsman's task is easy : bringing down his birds one 

 after another, as quickly as he can load and fire his gun, 

 he hands them over to his negro attendant to carry. 



Turkeys generally live in the middle of the grassy 

 savannahs which stretch along the border of the woods. 

 In early morning and in the evening they are to be found 

 near the marshes, sheltered by the tall herbs, and scratch- 

 ing up the ground in search of worms and insects ; but at 

 noon, and during the night, they return towards the 

 threshold of the forests, and perch themselves upon the 

 trees to roost. It is difficult to descry them when in this 

 position, for they are so motionless, that they seem to 

 form an inherent part of the branch on which they repose. 

 General rule : if the bird is crouching on his legs, he is 

 asleep, and the hunter may approach him without fear. 

 If he is standing upright, be sure he is on the watch, and 

 at the slightest noise he will be off and away; very often 

 flying to such a distance that it is impossible to trace him. 



Turkeys are frequently hunted in America by moon- 

 light, when the birds are roosting among the trees. The 

 report of a gun does not then terrify them, and you may 

 slaughter the whole flock without changing your position. 



One morning, when hunting in one of the counties of 

 Missouri, I heard in the neighbourhood of a plantation, 



