110 OUn DOMESTIC FOWLS. 



Tlie guinea-fowl retains in a state of domes- 

 tication no small share of its original wildness, 

 and restless wandering habits, and hence when 

 closely confined it becomes dull and pining, 

 and little disposed to breed ; it loves a wide 

 range of thickets, fields, and pasture grounds, 

 and the run of open farm-yards, where it 

 searches for insects, seeds, and green herbage, 

 the flock traversing the hedge-rows and brakes, 

 in the same manner as do turkeys. Like the 

 turkey, too, the hen guinea-fowl conceals her 

 nest from the male ; for though at other times 

 he is aflfectionate and solicitous, yet he evinces 

 a great dislike to incubation, and on discover- 

 ing the eggs never faUs to destroy them. The 

 hen, consequently, makes choice of the most 

 secluded spot, so much so, that it is not with- 

 out difficulty her retreat is discovered; and 

 instances have come under our own notice in 

 which a hen guinea-fowl has appeared in the 

 farm-yard with a young brood attending upon 

 her, after she had been given up as lost, or 

 accidentally killed. In these instances, the 

 eggs and young are subject to the attacks of 

 foxes, polecats, weasels, and birds of prey; and 

 as the guinea-fowl seldom shows much disposi- 

 tion to incubate if kept vmder restraint, it is a 



