The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-28
CUNNING WILD TURKEYS.
Their Ways with the Moro Cunning wildcat
and tho Less Cunning Hawk.

Their Ways with the More Cunning wildcat
and the Lees Cunning Hawk.
ut is curious how a wildcat gets the best Of
young wild turkeys" said q native of the
Juniata Valley, in the mountains overlooking
which the wild turkey still finds secure covert
and congenial environment. 1.-THE wild turkey
10 about as wary a thing as lives, whether it Is
young or old, and the wildcat knows 1t. As soon
az a brood OF young turkeys are big enough and
strong enough to be turned adrift by their
mother to earn their own living, the wild
cats mouth begins to water for them, and
he brings his cunning in play to cap
ture them. He needs his cunning. too.
for tho young turkeys. although they
cannot fly yet, can run faster than a deer, and
their habit OF hiding themselves at the faintest
suspicion OF danger-and they arc always on
the sharp lookout for danger-is as invariable
as that OF the young grouse and quail. A wild.
cat stands but little chance Of catching a young
wild turkey by crouching on a limb and pounc-
ing down upon 1t, as the suspicious fowl surveys
its surroundings on every side and above and
below, with every step it takes and every
mouthful it eats. 1t has to be a more than wary
beast that takes 1t by surprise.
But the wildcat has tactics. Discovering a
brood OF young turkeys. he knows that there is
no use trying to keep his proximity a secret. so
he takes pains to let the turkeys see him stealing
along in their rear. That hurries the flock on
ward. but the birds presently stop and look back
to see If the enemy is still in pursuit. The wild
cat keeps himself in sight, but always comes into
view Of the turkeys as sneaking out of a hiding
place. He does this three or four times, and
himself as to the exact direction the flock will
keep. and has left on their suspicious natures
the impression that It he q, is on their trail. Be
direction particularly. The wildcat knows his his
comes out far ahead OF the turkeys right in the
path they are feeding along and hides himself
t 1ssi 1nrk < i0s Wi; 4 fo PASS or st Ely s 11stsG1s ns%T EhiiR
their rear. The flock feed on their way. They
reach the spot where their unsuspected foe is
lying in wait. Suddenly there IL n spring, a
scuffie, a faint gobblc and n scattering OF tho
brood, and away bounds the wildcat with one OF
During the callow period of the turkey hens
brood the mother turkey constantly. watches for
ruthless foe. This is the Chicken hawk aNoiftnfi is
,yo n hoy quickly The "a. hen turkey detects
Wills the hawk is dropping down upon them
and Instantly every chick either sdSampsrs to a
hiding place or falls over on the ground and
ever did. The prcying chicken hawk will dine
on nothing but what he captures alive and kills.
How the young turkeys know that i more than
know It. II they are true to their instinct, and
remain as they fall until the mother gives them
the. signal that all is well, the hawk. seeing
nothing but dead game, as he supposes, will sail
away again; The mother will not give the signal
to her brood that all Is well until the hawk is out
OF sight. and then at he cluck up will jump
every chick. 1t sometimes happens that a chick
coming to life before 1t gets the word from its
mother. The chick that does 80 Is lost, for the
instantly, although the chick has quickly obeyed
q second order from its mother In the bushes and
died again.