94 ALLEN S NATURALISTS LIBRARY. 



well or hole, as the case may be, and, rapidly and dexterously 

 taking their fill, they make their exit in a different direction, if 

 possible, from that by which they entered ; in the meanwhile, 

 the outsiders gradually and evenly approach, and the ring is 

 gradually narrowed by a steady progressive movement of the 

 whole. A batch of fresh-comers never attempt to force their 

 way amongst those which have previously arrived, but remain 

 quietly on the outside of the ring until their turn comes. This 

 Guinea-Fowl feeds on grass, seeds, and insects, but chiefly on 

 a small bulb, which is also eagerly sought for by all the galli- 

 naceous birds. They rest during the heat of the day under 

 some mimosa, resuming their wanderings when the greatest 

 heat is passed. A flock of these birds is in general easily 

 discovered by their sharp, discordant, and metallic cries, some- 

 thing like a rapid succession of blows struck upon iron. They 

 have many enemies, and seek security at night by roosting in 

 tall mimosas. 



Nest. — A slight rounded depression in the ground. 



Eggs. — Fifteen to twenty in number; bufiy-white or pale buff 

 colour, sometimes obscurely speckled with pale grey. 



VII. PALLAS'S HELMETED GUINEA-FOWL. NUMIDA MITRATA. 



Numida jiiitrata, Pall. Spic. Zool. i. fasc. iv. p. i8, pi. 3 (1767); 



Elliot, Monogr. Phasian. ii. pi. 41 (1872); Meyer, Vog.- 



Skel. pt. X. pi. 99 (1886); Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Brit 



Mus. xxii. p. 378 (1893). 

 Qiierelea tiarata^ Bonap. C. R. xlii. p. 876 (1856). 

 Numida tiarafa, Hartl. Orn. Madagas. p. 68 (t86i). 

 Numida reichenowi^ Fleck {jiec Ogilvie-Grant), J. f. O. 1894, 



p. 390^ fig- 

 Adult. — Like N. coi^onata, but the bony helmet is much 

 smaller and conical in shape (height, o'8 inch; length, 0*9). 

 Top of the head scarlet ; helmet paler ; naked skin on sides 

 of head and neck blue ; wattles blue, tipped with red. Total 



