THE GAME BREEDER 



33 



BOOK REVIEWS. 



The Wild Turkey and its Hunting. By Ed- 

 ward A. Mcllhenny. Illustrated. Doubleday 

 Page & Co. Net, $2.50. 



The author evidently was well equipped to 

 ■write the best book on the wild turkey. He 

 began hunting turkeys when a mere lad and 

 says, "the fondness for this sport has remained 

 with me through life." His book proves that 

 he has "a fair knowledge of their language, 

 their habits, their likes and dislikes," and that 

 he has right to his belief that he "has killed 

 as many old gobblers with patriarchal beards 

 as any man in the world." 



The distinguished naturalist, Dr. R. W. 

 Sherfeldt, has contributed two interesting and 

 authoritative chapters to the book on the tur- 

 key prehistoric and historic. These add much 

 to the value of the work. The author takes 

 us to the woods and tells us about the habits 

 of the birds, shows us their nests and the 

 eggs which the hen never neglects to cover 

 with leaves to protect them from predacious 

 beasts and birds, particularly from that "ubi- 

 quitous thief and villain, the crow." We are 

 told about the strutting and fighting cocks, 

 about the natural enemies of the game, about 

 bow to call and shoot turkeys and how the 

 author has spent many delightful days in 

 their successful pursuit. There are many ex- 

 cellent photographs of the birds from life with 

 the forest back grounds. 



There are many facts interesting to game 

 breeders. "It has frequently been stated," the 

 author says, "that the wild turkey will not 

 live and propagate within the haunts of man. 

 This depends upon how the birds are treated. 

 No bird or animal can survive eternal persecu- 

 tion. There is no trouble about the birds 

 thriving in a settled community, if the proper 

 territory is set apart for their use, and proper 

 protection given. The territory should con- 

 sist of a few acres of woodland, or of some 

 broken ground, thicket or swamp to afford a 

 little cover. In such a retreat, a trio of wild 

 turkeys may be turned loose, and in a few 

 years, if properly protected, the vicinity would 

 be stocked with them." The author says the 

 wild turkey has no fear of the peaceable 

 farmer at the plow, no more than the crow or 

 the black bird has, and he describes the shoot- 

 ing of an old gobbler which crossed a field 

 where a plowman was continually "hollering 

 to his mules, 'Whoa,' 'Gee,' or 'Haw.'" 

 _ We are told that the turkeys are still plenti- 

 ful in the Southern States, and "there are 

 thousands of acres in the South which were 

 once cultivated, but which are now abandoned 

 and growing up with timber brush, and grass. 

 Such country affords splendid opportunity for 

 the rearing and perpetuation of the wild tur- 

 key." Game breeders and good sportsmen will 

 find this book especially interesting and in- 

 structive. 



Great Scot. 



A writer in the N. Y. Herald expresses 

 the wish, that there could be a Flex- 

 ner report on the Scots and how they 

 came to, and whether they owe their 

 great place in the world and in literature 

 and the hearts of men to poverty, the 

 Presbyterian religion, whiskey or oat- 

 meal. 



We shall be pleased to hear from some 

 of our Scotch game keepers who are 

 making American game abundant. 



No Violation. 



"Here," cried the fish warden, "what 

 are you doing? Don't you know you're 

 not allowed to catch fish here ?" 



The angler, who had sat three hours 

 without a nibble, turned and surveyed 

 the official sourly — "I'm not catchin' 

 'em," he retorted peevishly; I'm feeding 

 'em." 



An Astronomical Dog Store. 



"Is this a high-bred dog?" 



"Yes, madam; he's a skye terrier." 



"Isn't he just heavenly?" 



"He's the star of our collection, 

 madam — the dog star, I might say." 



No doubt the bitch was named, Gam- 

 ma Virginis. 



. «■ . 



In the Trade. 



Retired Painter and Decorator (to 

 artist, whom he has commissioned to 

 paint his daughter's portrait) — And none 

 o' your slapdash painting for me ; three 

 good coats, mind yer. — The Bystander. 



Trouble for the Gardener. 



"The sparrows seem to be getting at 

 these peas, John. Couldn't you put up 

 some kind of scarecrow?" 



"Scarecrow wouldn't be no use, Miss. 

 Why, if you was to stand there yerself 

 all day, I doubt of ye'd keep 'em off." — 

 London Opinion. 



More game and fewer game laws. 



A Staggerer. 



Young Wife (four weeks married) — 

 Good gracious reproaching me already 

 because I have bought a new hat. Is it 

 going to be like this -every month? — 

 Fliegende Blatter. 



