AN AMERICAN " INVENTION." 51 



who told me the tale ; and when I asked him what he 

 had done with all this game, since his family consisted 

 of only ten persons, including two valets, he told me he 

 had salted thirty-five, and had found them an economical 

 addition to his winter stores of provision. And, more- 

 over, this turkey-massacre had so terrified the birds of 

 the neighbourhood, that they had retreated to a distance, 

 and, consequently, his next crop of maize was as abun- 

 dant as could be desired. 



Turkeys are also caught in the United States by means 

 of snares. These instruments consist of a small bone, 

 which, fashioned in a certain manner, and attached to a 

 small skin-bag full of dried peas or beans, produces a sound 

 like the cry of a female turkey. To this appeal the males 

 readily respond, hasten to the spot, and are incontinently 

 " bagged." 



The Americans make use of another device, a trap, 

 which deserves to be described. 



When in any particular wood the turkeys are found to 

 be numerous, the spot which they most frequent is duly 

 noticed, and over an area of about sixty paces in length is 

 built up a kind of cage, made of branches wattled together, 

 so as to form an impenetrable rampart, but admitting 

 nevertheless the passage of light. This cage is carefully 

 hollowed underneath, and the ground is cleared of every 

 kind of plant and grass. One of the extremities of this 

 immense vault or cellar is hermetically sealed up, while 

 the other presents a passage, or rather a gully, about three 

 feet high, having the form of an ogive. At intervals the 

 two sides of the cage are connected by roosting-poles. 

 When once the trap is finished, the sportsman covers the 



