WILD TURKEY. 



439 



themselves at the least appearance of danger ; hut if perched upon 

 a tree they are less guarded, and consequently can he more easily 

 approached hy the sportsman. On a misty, moonlight night 

 American hunters take their posts under trees where Turkeys com- 

 monly perch. In this situation the game will receive several 



Fig. 177.— Wild Turkey. 



discharges without making the slightest attempt to escape, although 

 numbers of them in succession may have been killed. It is diffi- 

 cult to explain this apparent apathy, especially when we know their 

 hurry to fly before the Owl. It is doubtless owing to the want of 

 sagacity which they manifest under these circumstances, as well as 

 to their ludicrous aspect and eccentric attitudes, that Turkeys have 



