//.I ///7> i if Till: /TA'A/ } 





hastily ris<- into th. k the shelter of the branches, the lynx leaps upward* and sink., 



them down with his ready IKIW. justM a cat kn.M-ks ,|,,\\n sparrows ,,n i In- wing. Various 

 other animals and birds persecute tlu iin.iT.-n-i\ . I'uik. \ throughout ita existence, but ita 

 worst eiiem\ is t lie featberleM btpad. Snares of wonderful construction, inijw, and "pens," 



lire constantly employed fnl llit- captille cif this \aluable bird; (In- "jM-n" lifting o MJmj.la 



and withal - . in-eniou-. that it merits a short description. 



\ little square hut is made of logs, without window ..r d(K>r. A trench is rut in tin- 

 ground, some ten <: twelve feet in l.-iu-th. {Nisaing under the wall of the hut and terminatim; 

 in its centre. A kind of bridue of flattened logs or sticks is then laid across the trench in the 

 interim- of the hut. close to the wall. The roof is then laid, :ind the pen is complete Its 

 mode t.f artion is as follows: A quantity of corn is strewn in the j>en and along the tn-in-h, 

 and is sparingly scattered at intervals so as to lead the Turkeys to the tn-n.-h When they 

 see the (c.in they follow it up. feeding aa they go, and lindin- that the tivnrh is so well Hiip- 

 |ilifl. they tr.iv.-rs*- its 1,-n-th and [KISS into the JM-H. There is no trap-door to prevent them 

 from t -..aping, neither is there neM of it. AH is the custom of trap|x-<l birds in general, they 

 walk round the walls of their prison, trying to find a hole at which to escajie, and jM-<-riii>c 

 anxiously through the interstices lxtwcen the logs. When they com.- to the trench, they 

 n--\.-r think of going out l>y the way that they .'iitered. but keeping close against the wall, 

 they walk over the little bridge and recommence their tour. In this way great numbers of 

 Tin keys are taken annually. 



The Turkey is a \.-r\ migratory bird, passim; over great distances, and retaining the habit 

 in its tarn. : :i\ iin; im small amount of trouble to the poultry owner. In describing one 



of these migration-,. Audnl>on speaks as follows: 



"About the beginning of October, when scarcely any of the seeds and fruits have fallen 

 from the trees, these birds assemble in flocks, and gradually move towards the rich bottom- 

 kinds of the Ohio and Mississippi. The males, or, as they are more commonly called, the 

 gobblers, associate in parties from ten to a hundred, and search for food apart from the females, 

 while the latter are seen either advancing singly, each with its brood of young, then about 

 two-thirds grown, or in union with other families, forming juirties oft.-n amounting to seventy 

 or eighty individuals, all intent on shunning the old cocks, who, when the young birds have 

 attained this -.;/.-. \\ill tijn with and often destroy them by repeated blows on the head. 

 Old and young, however, all move in the same course, and on foot, unless their progress be 

 intercepts! by a river, or the hunter's dog force them to take wing. 



When they come uj>on a river, they In-take themselves to the highest eminences, and 

 there often remain a whole day, and sometimes two. as if for the purpose of consultation. 

 1 iirii!L, r this time the males are heard gobbling, calling, and making much ado, and are seen 

 strutting about as if to raise their courage to the pitch l*>fitting the emergency. Even the 

 females and yoinii: assume something of the same pompous demeanor, spread out their tails, 

 and run round each other, purring loudly and performing extravagant leaps. 



"At length, when the weather appears settled, and all around is <|iiiet, the whole party 

 mount to the tops of the hiirh-st fives, wh.-ncf, at a signal, consisting of a single duck given 

 by a leadi-r. the flock takes flight for the opposite shore. The old and fat birds get easily 

 ;. even should the river be a mile in bn-adth. but the younger and less robust frequently 

 fall into the water, not to be drowned, however, as might be imagined ; they bring their wings 

 close to their Ixnlv. spread out their tail as a s M p]M.rt. and striking out their le^s with ureat 

 vigor, proceed rapidly towards the shore ; on approaching which, should they find it too steep 

 for landini:, th.-y <-,-ase their ex.-ni..iis f,, r a few moments, float down the stream until th 

 come to an accessible part, and by a violent effort generally extricate themselves from the 

 water. It is remarkable that immediately aft.-r crossimr a large stream, they ramble about for 

 some time as if bewildered. In this state the\ fall an easy prey to the hunt- 



The coloring of the wild male Turkey is briefly as follows : The small head and half of the 

 neck are covered with a warty, naked, bluish skin. hani:inir in wattles from the base of the bill 



