234 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST. 



corn, No sooner has a turkey discovered the train of 

 corn, than it communicates the circumstance to the flock 

 by a cluck, when all of them come up, and searching for 

 the grains scattered about, at length come upon the 

 trench, which they follow, squeezing themselves one af- 

 ter another through the passage under the bridge. In 

 this manner the whole flock sometimes enters, but more 

 commonly six or seven only, as they are alarmed by the 

 least noise, even the cracking of a tree in frosty weather. 

 Those within, having gorged themselves, raise their 

 heads and try to force their way through the top or 

 sides of the pen, passing and repassing on the bridge, 

 but never for a moment looking down, or attempting to 

 escape through the passage by which they entered. 

 Thus they remain until the owner of the trap arriving, 

 closes the trench, and secures his captives. I have 

 heard of eighteen turkeys having been caught, in this 

 manner, at a single visit to the trap. I have had many 

 of these pens myself, but never found more than seven 

 in them at a time. One winter I kept an account of the 

 produce of a pen which I visited daily, and found that 

 seventy-six had been caught in it, in about two months, 

 When these birds are abundant, the owners of the pens 

 sometimes become satiated with their flesh, and neglect 

 to visit the pens for several days, in some cases for 

 weeks. The poor captives thus perish for want of food : 

 for, strange as it may seem, they scarcely ever regain 

 their liberty, by descending into the trench s^d r*- 

 tracing their steps. I have more than once fo'jnd four 

 or fire, and even ten dead in a pen, through inattention. 

 Where wolves or lynxes are numerous, they are apt to 



