24 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



Fhtio by Kerry dr' y. . ^ [Sydney 



WALLACE'S PAINTED MEGAPODE 



This bird buries its eggs in the sand, burro-zving for each a s/aniinir hole from j , 

 4jWi dnj> 



in the Hindu States it is not allowed 

 to be killed under any circumstances. 

 There are two, some say three, distinct 

 species of peacock, but they all closely 

 resemble one another. 



Brief mention will serve for the 

 GuiXEA-FOWi.s and Turkeys, since 

 they are well known to us all. GuiNEA- 

 FDWi.s are African birds. The farm- 

 yard form, popularly known as " Come- 

 backs," from their peculiar cry 

 " come-back, come-back, come-back," 

 is a descendant of the common 

 helmeted form, of which t)-pc there 

 are eight distinct species. Besides 

 these are four crested species; one 

 very beautiful species known as the 

 Vulture like Guine.\-fo\vl; and 

 one, the rarest of all, known as the 

 Bl.\ck Guine.a.-fo\vl. Even in the 

 British Museum, writes Mr. Ogilvie Grant, " there are only two examples of it, and neither of 

 these are perfect specimens." It was discovered by M. Du Chaillu. " One day," he sa\-s, " I 

 went out hunting by myself, and, to my great joy, shot another new bird, a black wild-fowl, one 

 of the most singular birds I have seen in Africa. . . . The head, where it is bare, is in the 

 female of a pink hue, and in the male of a bright scarlet. . . . Wikl they are, and most 

 difficult to approach, and rare, even in the forests where they are at Jiomc." The}- do not 

 travel in huge flocks, like other guinea-fowls, but a male and two females at most. 



The familiar form of the TURKEY scarcely needs description ; but most people are probabl)^ 

 puzzled by its name. Why Turkey? The bird is a native of America, so it certainly cannot 

 have anything to do with its place of origin. Professor Newton has it that it is on account 

 of its call-note, " to be syllabled " turk, turlc, turk,' whereby it may almost be said to have 

 named itself" 



The domesticated turkey is descended from the Mexican Turkey, and was probably 

 introduced into Europe during the sixteenth century. This, according to Captain Bendire, is 

 a mountain-living species, and still abundant in the wilder portions of Western Texas and 

 New Mexico. It appears to attain greater bulk than its domesticated descendant, Captain 

 Bendire having recorded a specimen shot by himself which weighed 28 lbs. after having been 

 drawn, and heavier birds are said to occur occasionally. 



The Mexicans say that the co\'otes catch turkeys by running in circles under the tree 

 in which they are roosting, till the birds get dizz\- with watching them, and fall down intO' 

 the open mouths below ! 



There are three distinct kinds of turkey — the Mfniuax, AMERICAN, and Hoxdura.s. 

 Turkey. The last is a ver_\^ fine bird, with a bright blue head and neck, instead of 

 red. The top of the head is adorned with numerous scarlet, berrj'-like warts, looking like 

 holly-berries. 



