103 OUR DOMESTIC FOWLS. 



Africa, (aud ]\ere we suspect the confusion 

 arises,) but from tlie western world, where it 

 had been introduced with human bondsmen 

 torn from their native soil to supply the place 

 of the miserably slaughtered population of the 

 •western world, and condemned to labour for the 

 conquering white man, for him whose only pas- 

 sion, under the veil of popish religion, was "the 

 accursed thirst for gold," " auri sacra fames." 

 We learn that about the year 1508, numbers 

 of these birds were brought into America with 

 the cargoes of negro slaves : — " The Spaniards 

 neither at that time nor ever since, have 

 attempted to tame them, or render them 

 domestic, useful birds, but let them go loose 

 and wild in the savannahs, where they have 

 increased in such prodigious numbers, that 

 they may well appear native ; aud are seen in 

 vast flocks together. They are called Maroon 

 Pentates by the Spaniards and French," 

 (Observ. sur les Cout. de I'Asie, p. 190.) At 

 the present day, in Jamaica, but more espe- 

 cially Hayti, and other islands adjacent, the 

 guinea-fowl, or pintado, is regarded as a wild 

 bird and shot like other game. "With respect 

 to the "British islands we are unable to say at 

 ■what period it was introduced. We do not 



