084 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
birds are great travellers, often going over fifteen or twenty miles 
in the course of the day, but always returning, if possible, to the 
water at night; so that by judiciously dodging their steps a thirsty 
traveller may find the desired pool, though implicit reliance should 
never be placed on this mode of obtaining water. The Guinea- 
fowls usually rest during the heat of the day under some mimosa, 
resuming their journeyings when the greatest heat is passed. <A 
flock of these birds is in general easily discovered by their sharp, 
discordant, and metallic cries, something like a rapid succession 
of blows struck upon iron. They have many enemies, and seek 
security at night by roosting in tall mimosas. The flesh of the 
young Guinea-fowl is very white, tender, and well-flavoured, but 
that of the old birds is far from tempting. 
“The eggs of the wild Guinea-fowl are often hatched under 
domestic fowls, and the young are not difficult to rear; but as they 
grow their propensity for roosting on high trees is rapidly developed, 
much to the distress of their foster-mother, which is usually unable 
to follow them to their lofty perch. I have also known young 
chicks of this species successfully reared when captured in a wild 
state; but I have never known an instance of one of these birds, 
when tamed, having reared a brood of its own young. The nests 
of this species consist of slight rounded depressions in the ground, 
and may be found from the end of December to May, containing 
from fifteen to twenty eggs of a buffy-white or pale buff-colour, 
sometimes obscurely speckled with pale grey.” Professor Barboza 
du Bocage states that Senor Anchieta has sent specimens from 
Caconda, and from Huilla, as well as from the Coroca River in 
Southern Mossamedes, and from Humbe on the Cunene River. The 
last-named traveller gives the native name as Kanga in all places 
where the Guinea-fowls are met with. 
It should be noted that Drs. Finsch and Hartlaub believe in the 
existence of two forms of this Guinea-fowl occurring within our 
limits, and Professor Barboza du Bocage says that in the specimens - 
from Caconda and Huilla the neck and crop have white transverse 
lines, whereas those from the Coroca River and Humbe have these 
lines replaced by white spots similar to the rest of the plumage. 
Some of the other characters mentioned by Drs. Finsch and Hartlaub 
are not, however, borne out by the specimens in the Lisbon Museum ; 
but Professor Bocage thinks that there may be two forms of this 
— 
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