14 WILD TURKEY. 



well aware of the advantages resulting from such intrusions, the half- 

 breed being much more hardy than the tame, and, consequently, more 

 easily reared. 



While at Henderson, on the Ohio, I had, among many other wild 

 birds, a fine male Turkey, which had been reared from its earliest youth 

 under my care, it having been caught by me when probably not more than 

 two or three days old. It became so tame that it wovdd follow any person 

 who called it, and was the favourite of the little village. Yet it would never 

 roost with the tame Turkeys, but regularly betook itself at night to the roof 

 of the house, M'here it remained until dawi. When two years old, it be- 

 o-an to fly to the woods, where it remained for a considerable part of the 

 day, to return to the enclosure as night approached. It continued this 

 practice until the following spring, when I saw it several times fly from 

 its roosting place to the top of a high cotton- tree, on the bank of the 

 Ohio, from which, after resting a little, it would sail to the opposite shore, 

 the river being there nearly half a mile wide, and return towards night. 

 One morning I saw it fly off, at a very early hour, to the woods, in ano- 

 ther direction, and took no particular notice of the circumstance. Several 

 days elapsed, but the bird did not return. I was going towards some 

 lakes near Green River to shoot, when, having walked about five miles, 

 I saw a fine large gobbler cross the path before me, moving leisurely along. 

 Turkeys being then in prime condition for the table, I ordered my dog 

 to chase it, and put it up. The animal went off with great rapidity, and 

 as it approached the Turkey, I saw, with great surprise, that the latter 

 paid httle attention. Juno was on the point of seizing it, when she 

 suddenly stopped, and turned her head towards me. I hastened to them, 

 but you may easily conceive my surprise when I saw my own favourite 

 bird, and discovered that it had recognised the dog, and would not fly 

 from it ; although the sight of a strange dog would have caused it to run 

 off at once. A friend of mine happening to be in search of a wounded 

 deer, took the bird on his saddle before him, and carried it home for me. 

 The following spring it was accidentally shot, having been taken for a 

 wild bird, and brought to me on being recognised by the red ribbon 

 which it had around its neck. Pray, reader, by what word will you de- 

 signate the recognition made by my favourite Turkey of a dog which had 

 been long associated with it in the yard and grounds ? Was it the re- 

 sult of instinct, or of reason, — an unconsciously revived impression, c* 

 the act of an intelligent mind ? 



