CAPTURING WILD ANIMALS 209 



I brought the squawking and frightened bird in 

 triumph to my log house and let it loose before my 

 astonished helpmate. This I consider a record 

 breaker in this line of sport and even more excit- 

 ing than photographing big game in the wilder- 

 ness. 



If it is difficult to sneak upon game and steal 

 a photograph of it in the open, it is very much 

 more so to creep upon it and capture it alive with 

 one's naked hands. 



With all my youthful experience in 



HANDLING THE WILD CREATURES 



of the woods I have but one scar to show where 

 I received any punishment from them and this 

 scar was made by the beak of a big disgusting 

 turkey buzzard. The bird had fallen into the 

 Ohio River and was captured by two small boys, 

 who brought it to me and said it was an eagle. 

 While I was perfectly familiar with the form of 

 the turkey buzzard when it was roosting upon a 

 dead tree or circling around in its most beautiful 

 and graceful flight, I had never examined one at 

 close range, and when this one was dumped un- 

 ceremoniously from a bag in front of me I got down 

 on my knees and resting on my hands was study- 

 ing the creature, not knowing for the moment what 

 sort of a bird it might be. 



THE TURKEY BUZZARD 



emitted a series of hisses, then waddled over to my 



