10 WILD TURKEY. 



enables them to outstrip any other animal. I have often, when on a 

 good horse, been obliged to abandon the attempt to put them up, after 

 following them for several hours. This habit of continued running, in 

 rainy or very damp weather of any kind, is not peculiar to the Wild 

 Turkey, but is common to all gallinaceous birds. In America, the dif- 

 ferent species of Grouse exhibit the same tendency. 



In spring, when the males are much emaciated, in consequence of their 

 attentions to the females, it sometimes happens that, on plain and open 

 ground, they may be overtaken by a swift dog, in which case they squat, 

 and allow themselves to be seized, either by the dog, or the hunter who 

 has followed on a good horse. I have heard of such occurrences, but 

 never had the pleasure of seeing an instance of them. 



Good dogs scent the Turkeys, when in large flocks, at extraordinary 

 distances, — I think I may venture to say half a mile. Should the dog 

 be well trained to this sport, he sets off at full speed, and in silence, un- 

 til he sees the birds, when he instantly barks, and pusliing as much as 

 possible into the centre of the flock, forces the whole to take wing in dif- 

 ferent directions. This is of great advantage to the hunter, for should 

 the Turkeys all go one way, they would soon leave their perches and 

 run again. But when they separate in this manner, and the weather hap- 

 pens to be calm and loAvering, a person accustomed to this kind of sport 

 finds the birds with ease, and shoots them at pleasure. 



When Turkeys alight on a tree, it is sometimes very difficult to see 

 them, which is owing to their standing perfectly motionless. Should you 

 discover one, when it is down on its legs upon the branch, you may ap- 

 proach it with less care. But if it is standing erect, the greatest precau- 

 tion is necessary, for should it discover you, it instantly flies off", fre- 

 quently to such a distance that it would be vain to follow. 



When a Turkey is merely winged by a shot, it falls quickly to the 

 ground in a slanting direction. Then, instead of losing time by tum- 

 bhng and rolling over, as other birds often do when wounded, it runs 

 off at such a rate, that unless the hunter be provided with a swift 

 dog, he may bid farewell to it. I recollect coming on one shot in this 

 manner, more than a mile from the tree where it had been perched, my 

 dog having traced it to this distance, through one of those thick cane- 

 brakes that cover many portions of our rich alluvial lands near the banks 

 of our western rivers. Turkeys are easily killed if shot in the head, the 

 neck, or the upper part of the breast ; but if hit in the hind parts only, 



