While it is quite common for a turkey, when mortally wounded, to continue his flight considerable distances before falling, and equally, if not more so, to fall dead at once from the shot, it is not often one will, while on the wing making his escape, change his course of conduct and come down and give himself up without being touched by shell or shot. Still, it is not impossible, for he has been known to do so, but not, perhaps, for the reason said to be entertained by Captain Scott’s coon. One still, warm afternoon in December, 1860, with dog, the writer visited the “Fenced-in Wilderness.” On arrival in the woods a concealed position was selected and the dog sent out to look up the birds. Soon a large male bird came so near, on foot and unseen, that he scented the hunter, and rose within less than twenty yards of the writer, who fired after him one of Ely’s green wire cartridges, one and a half ounces No. 5 shot, driven by three drachms of Hazard’s electric powder. The bird was up in the air about thirty feet, going off directly in line with the shot. When the gun reported the turkey did not limber nor tumble like a bird shot, but came down precisely like a paper kite--full spread of wings and tail, with outstretched neck and legs. When the writer came up he was lying upon the ground, spread out like a bat, and the captor placed one foot and weight of the body on his neck, and commenced reloading the empty barrel. Before this was half accomplished it became necessary to suspend reloading and attend to the customer by changing his neck from the foot to the hand, in order to keep him long enough to cut his throat. During the time required to open the knife and perform this little surgical operation he used his legs and toenails most vigorously and effectively, and the operator came out of the fray bleeding and lacerated, with loss of the greater portion of coat, vest, shirt and pants. The wounds, however severe, were as nothing compared with the knowledge demonstration revealed--that this turkey was knocked down by the generation of some force, without making a scar, mark, or sign of traumatism, external or internal. A critical examination revealed no injury whatever, except the cut made by the knife. The explanation is for the scientist.