18 WILD SPORTS IN THE SOUTH. 



walk up and down a little while on the high bank, cluck- 

 ing and purring, with an occasional pick at some mis- 

 placed feather, just as an old lady smooths down her 

 apron before expressing any decided opinion. The cock 

 may occasionally spread his fan if the sun shines brightly 

 where he stands, and utter his loud thrumming sounds 

 like the roll of a drum. He has eyed for some minutes 

 a low-limbed juniper tree, standing near, and presently, 

 after much examination, flits into it. Up go the hens 

 in succession, and from the juniper they all fly to the 

 upper limbs of a dead cotton-wood standing hard by. 

 There is a continuation of the duckings and notes of 

 preparation, and then with the gobbler in the van, they 

 launch themselves out in the air, and with broad ex- 

 tended pinions float in a slanting direction across the 

 river, landing on the opposite side, at the edge of the 

 underbrush, and are immediately lost to view. 



I remember a pretty incident in connection with a tur- 

 key hen falling under my own eye, demonstrating a 

 knowledge of character on her part. 



I had taken my stand on the end of St. Rosas Island, 

 ofl" Pensacola, to watch for deer that the hounds were 

 driving. After my arrival I noticed a turkey hen 

 come skimming to the ground, and presently walk 

 toward a knoll of grass a few yards from my place of 

 concealment. Her anxious look and her feigned attitude 

 of indifference immediately showed me that she was near 

 her nest, and taking a little pocket spy-glass I carried 

 with me to watch the water channels, I presently saw 



