374 
THE SAVAGE WORLD. 
knocks down sparrows on the wing. Various other animals and birds perse¬ 
cute the inoffensive turkey 
throughout its existence, 
but its worst enemy is the 
featherless biped. Snares 
of wonderful construction, 
traps, and “ pens,” are con¬ 
stantly employed for the 
capture of this valuable 
bird ; the “ pen ” being so 
simple and withal so in¬ 
genious that it merits a 
short description. It is 
made of logs or fence-rails, 
laid to a height of about 
four feet in a square and 
covered, under which a 
trench is dug from the 
centre, leading out some 
ten or twelve feet from 
the pen. In this trench 
corn is scattered to entice 
the birds. When the 
turkeys discover the grain 
they proceed quickly to 
devour it, keeping their 
heads to the ground and 
following up the trench until they pass into the pen. When all the grain 
is eaten the birds raise their heads and try to get through the interstices 
between the rails, but never once attempt to 
escape by the avenue through which they 
entered, and are thus made captives. Quails 
are often taken in the same manner. 
The Necklace Hen (Ptemistes vulgaris) 
is an inhabitant of Africa, where it is found 
in certain parts in great abundance. It is 
classed with the francolins , or between the 
pheasants and grouse. The males and old 
females are armed with rather formidable 
spurs, which they vigorously use. When 
alarmed they usually rise to the branch of a 
tree and utter notes somewhat resembling an 
hysterical laugh. 
WADING BIRDS. 
The number of species that find their sub¬ 
sistence along the shores of streams, ponds, 
marshes, or the sea, is very great, and though 
none of them are endowed with the gift of 
song T they possess other attributes and curious provisions for adaptation which 
GREAT BUSTARD. 
