S6 Allen's naturalist's library. 



signifying 'wild fowl.' Wild they are, and most difficult to 

 approach, and also rare, even in the forests where they are at 

 home. They are not found at all on the sea-coast, and do not 

 appear until the traveller reaches the range of fifty or sixty 

 miles from the coast. Even there they are so rare, that though 

 I looked out for them constantly I killed but three in all my 

 expeditions. They are not gregarious, like the Guinea-Fowl, 

 but wander through the woods, a male and one or, at most, 

 two females in company. They are very watchful, and fly off 

 to retreats in the woods at the slightest alarm." 



THE TURKEY-LIKE GUINEA-FOWLS. GENUS AGELASTES. 



Agelastes (Temm.), Bonap. P. Z. S. 1849, p. 145. 



Type, A. inekagrides, Bonap. 



Skin of head and greater part of neck naked, or with only a 

 few minute scattered plumes. 



Tail rather long and rounded, composed oifourteoi feathers, 

 the outer pair being not much shorter than the middle pair. 

 Upper tail-coverts about two-thirds of the length of the middle 

 pair of tail-feathers. 



First primary flight-feather much shorter than the second, 

 which equals the tenth ; fifth to seventh sub-equal and longest. 



Tarsus in the male armed with a short stout spur. 



Only one species is known. 



I. THE TURKEV-LIKE GUINEA-FOWL. AGELASTES MELEAGRIDES. 



Agelastes meleagrides (Temm.), Bonap, P. Z. S. 1849, p. 145 ; 

 Schleg. Handl. Dierk. 1857, Vog. fig. 57 ; id. Dierentuin, 

 1872, p. 220, cum fig. ; Elliot, Monogr. Phasian. ii. pi. 37 

 (1872) ; Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 374 



(1893)- 

 Adult Male. — Lower-neck, chest, and upper mantle, white ; 

 rest of plumage black, finely mottled with white, primary flight- 

 feathers edged with whitish-grey ; naked skin of head red, darker 



