A CAUTIOUS TURKEY. 233 



imitate the cry of the female, and so allure the cock 

 within rano-e of the rifle. But let him relate his ad- 

 ventures himself. 



' I always hunted that ar' gobbler in the same range 

 till I know'd his track and his "yelp " as well as I do 

 my old dogs. But the critter were so knowin' that 

 when I '* called " he would run from me, taJdng the 

 O'pjposite direction to my footmarks. 



'The old scaly varmint kept pretty much about a 

 ridge, at the end of which, where it lost itself in the 

 swamp, was a hollow cypress tree. Now, I were deter- 

 mined to have that gobbler, boys ; so what do I do but 

 put on my shoes heels foremost, walk down the hill 

 very quietly, and get into the hollow tree. Well then 

 I gave a call ; and, boys, it would have done your hearts 

 good to see that turkey come trotting down the ridge 

 towards me, looking at my tracks, and thinking I had 

 gone the other %uay.^ 



It is not so difficult to kill the birds before they are 

 full grown ; and the European hunter would find it a 

 good preparation for the more serious sport of killing 

 adult gobblers, to practise on those which have attained 

 rather more than half their growth. By commencing 

 with these youngsters during the latter part of August, 

 and continuing to shoot during the autumn months, 

 something may be learnt of the peculiarities of the 

 bird. 



Soon after I first landed at Gralveston, in Texas, I took 



