132 lewis' AMERICAN sportsman. 



Stealthy manner, otherwise, the wary Gobbler will be alarmed, 

 and seek safety in the most inglorious flight." If such should be 

 the case, the Doctor further remarks, that the Sportsman must 

 now remain perfectly calm and quiet for twenty minutes or so, 

 and then, perhaps, by a few well-timed yelps^ may be able to 

 draw the wary, bat still amorous swain within the deadly am- 

 bush. Another artifice has also been resorted to bv the 

 Doctor, to secure this wary Bird, by securing a tame Turkey 

 in a suitable position, with a long cord attached to his leg, by 

 pulling which, the captive is made to cluck from time to time, 

 so as to attract the notice cff any wild ones that are known to 

 be concealed or feeding in the immediate vicinity; for a Gob- 

 bler, on hearing this call or cry of another, instantly rushes for- 

 wards to meet him, and is thus easily shot down. 



ENEMIES. 



The Wild Turkey is pursued, harassed, and preyed upon by 

 Quadrupeds innumerable, as well as by the larger species of 

 Birds of Prey. The Wolf, Fox, Lynx, Cougars, Opossums, 

 and Wild Cats, all prowl about, destroying their nests as well 

 as tender offspring, or, lying in wait, pounce upon the full-grown 

 Birds as their lawful prey. 



Audubon remarks on this head, " that the Lynx sucks their 

 eggs, and is extremely expert at seizing both young and old, 

 which he effects in the following manner : When he has dis- 

 covered a flock of Turkeys, he follows them at a distance for 

 some time, until he ascertains the direction in which they are 

 proceeding. He then makes a rapid circular movement, gets 

 in advance of the flock, and lays himself down in ambush, 

 until the Birds come up, when he springs upon one of them by 

 a single bound, and secures it. While once sitting in the woods, 

 on the banks of the Wabash, I observed two large Turkey- 

 Cocks on a log by the river, pluming and picking themselves. 

 I watched their movements for awhile, when, of a sudden, one 

 of them flew across the river, while I perceived the other strug- 

 gling under the grasp of a Lynx." 



The larger species of Owls, as well as Hawks, are said to 



