Tame Wild Turkeys 



343 



ings, slam the door, and listen to the comments of the ireful Turkeys outside. 

 After a while they would depart, or we would come out and charge them with 

 the insect net. They, however, would go only just far enough away to be safe. 

 It gave us a new conception of the usually timid Wild Turkeys, to see them 

 thus about the place, and more than tame. It was Turkey Gobblers, and 

 not "gobble-uns," that would catch us if we didn't watch out. 



DEFIANT GOBBLERS 



Mr. George W. Storter had had the birds some time upon our arrival, and 

 he considered that the reason the Turkeys were content to stay about his place 

 was that the most suitable ground for them was near the house, the mangrove 

 swamps not containing the grasshoppers, etc., of which they were in quest. 

 At night they would roost on the roof of some of the buildings, often on the 

 shingled top of one of the cement cisterns, where they were not welcome, and 

 it was one of the duties of Kirby Storter to dislodge them and make them roost 

 elsewhere. The first illustration shows Kirby gibing the Turkeys, and about 

 to run away with the gobblers in pursuit. 



Mr. Storter suggested to us that we visit an inland orange grove situated 

 on a hummock lying on the border of the Big Cypress Swamp. So, one day, 

 we went in a power-boat, two miles up Allen's River, and then walked ten or 

 twelve miles, first through salt meadow and then across most beautiful prairie 

 country, where there were a multitude of flowers and many insects. Our chief 

 regret was that we could not linger long by the way. In due time we reached 

 the grove, and were surprised to learn that the Wild Turkeys were protected 



