112 OUR BOMESTIG FOWLS. 



v/liite are common ; and we have occasionally 

 seen cream-coloured birds, in which, however, 

 the white spots are clearly to be distinguished. 

 ^IVees, where accessible, or tall thick bushes, 

 are its favourite roosting-placcs, and on these 

 the flock cluster, even during the winter, the 

 cold of which they endure with great hardiness. 

 We have noticed this indifference to cold in the 

 pea-fowl, originally from India, and the same 

 observation apphes to the guinea-fovvl of Africa, 

 and we may also add the common fowl, of 

 Indian origin ; nor can we avoid seeing in these 

 facts a wise provision, for the express purpose 

 of facilitating the diffusion of species eminently 

 useful to man. 



The domestic guinea-fowl is by no means 

 strong on the wing. Its note is a peculiar 

 harsh querulous sound, often i-epeated, and 

 certainly not agreeable ; it reminds us of the 

 noise of a cart-wheel turning on an ungreased 

 axle-tree, or the creaking of rusty hinges. 

 Besides the common guinea-fowl, (Numida 

 meleagris,) several other wild species are 

 known, some of which are remarkable for 

 their beauty. All are African. In the genus 

 numida, the males are destitute of spurs. 



