Descriptive Zoology. 



Our common fowl are descendants of the jungle fowl of 

 India, which our ancestors took from a wild state and do- 

 mesticated. The guinea fowl, peafowl, and turkey are 

 other domesticated gallinaceous birds, these domesticated 

 forms all belonging to the pheasant family. It is remark- 



FIG. 138. THE RUFFED GROUSE. 



From Eckstorm's The Bird Book. 



able that the breast muscles should retain their large size 

 when they are so little used. Of late, pheasants from the 

 old world have been introduced in various parts of this 

 country. The Gallinae are undoubtedly the most valuable 

 to man of any order of birds. 



