CHAPTER XVI. 



WILD TURKEY. 



Two species represent this family, viz., the common wild 

 turkey, so well known in nearly all the States composing 

 the Union, and the ocellated, common to Honduras and 

 portions of Central America. 



Although this race are not migratory, still they are great 

 wanderers; thus a locality where they have been abundant 

 one month, may be entirely deserted by them the next. It 

 is found in the province of Ontario, in Canada, which I am 

 led to believe is the most northern range of its habitat: 

 here it was at one time tolerably abundant, but the cultiva- 

 tion of the wild lands, and constant persecution by the set- 

 tlers, have very much reduced their numbers. Pennsyl- 

 vania and Ohio at one time swarmed with them, but there, 

 as in Canada, they have suffered much diminution ; how- 

 ever, in the adjoining States of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, 

 and Wisconsin they can be found in sufficient numbers to 

 remunerate the sportsman for the time and labor passed 

 in their pursuit. All the Southern States possess them in 

 greater or less abundance, but their range does not extend 

 westward beyond the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mount- 

 ains. 



The early settlers, when this game was far less wary 

 than now, were in the habit of shooting them with the 

 rifle, the head invariably being the object fired at, but 

 quickness of aim being now a desideratum, the shot-gun 

 has usurped the place of the other weapon. On damp 

 hazy moonlight nights in autumn, if the roosting-place be 



