44 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING. 
so I am satisfied,” I replied, as I started back for the 
blind with my trophy. 
“‘The fellow was so rheumatic that he couldn’t bite 
you, or he would have tried it,” he said, and, to prove it, 
he made a careful examination of the bird, and com- 
mented on its apparent age and where I had hit it. 
When all its bad qualities were discussed, my com- 
panion commenced calling again in the most careful 
manner—now low and endearing, anon loud, command- 
ing, and vehement, as if to denounce the males for their 
want of gallantry in not responding to such appeals. 
Having called in vain for two hours, we concluded to 
change quarters, to see if we could not be more fortu- 
nate, so we walked about a mile to an open piece of 
woods, which looked quite promising. Seeing the 
ground scratched a good deal, we decided to build a 
blind there and try our luck, for it was evident that the 
birds were numerous somewhere in the vicinity. 
We set about our task immediately, and while busily 
engaged on it, we were startled by the sharp and unex- 
pected call of a turkey hen. This pleasant sound caused 
my companion to suspend operations abruptly, and cock- 
ing his ear, so as to catch the note in the most distinct 
manner, he listened intently until the seductive call was 
repeated, then answered it with a long and voluble gob- 
ble, and when that was over he indulged in a quiet fit 
of chuckling. I asked him what he was laughing at, 
and received as a reply, ‘‘Do you want to fool that hu- 
man turkey hen?” 
Thinking there might be some fun in the matter, I 
assented willingly; and, when the next call was heard, 
my companion and myself started in the direction 
whence it emanated, while he kept pouring forth a yvol- 
ume of loud gobbles which would have done honor to 
the sturdiest turkey-cock in the forest. When we had 
traversed a distance of five or six hundred yards we came 
