230 PHASIANID^ NUMIDA 



has also been introduced into the plantations round Johannesburg, 

 where it is preserved for shooting. Ashy birds with white feathers 

 are often found among these coveys, and are probably due to the 

 admixture of the domestic breed. 



Habits. The Guinea-fowl is gregarious, being found, especially 

 in the dry season, in large flocks of as many as 200 birds ; it usually 

 resorts to the scrubby bush which borders streams and rivers, and, 

 as a rule, is seldom far from water ; if disturbed in the open it runs 

 with great rapidity, faster than a man on foot, and takes refuge in 

 the bush, perching on the lower branches of trees, where it can be 

 easily seen and obtained ; it is difficult to flush, though, if this can be 

 managed, it is an easy bird to shoot, as it is somewhat heavy on 

 the wing. 



During the day it is usually found in the open, where it obtains 

 its food, consisting of grass and other roots as well as insects, such 

 as locusts and their eggs ; it is specially fond of small bulbs. 

 Bryden states that the Bushmen in Bechuanaland, when they kill 

 these birds, cut out the crops, which are full of these bulbs, and 

 skewer them together and hang them up to dry, as they consider 

 them a particularly dainty morsel. As a rule the Guinea-fowl 

 drinks once every twenty-four hours, resorting in the evening to the 

 nearest water and then retiring to roost on a tree for the night. 

 Their cry, "Kek, kek, kek," is heard morning and evening and is 

 very monotonous. The eggs, which are laid on the ground in a small 

 rounded depression, generally sheltered by long grass or scrub, are 

 from seven to ten in number (Andersson and Pym state fifteen to 

 twenty) ; they are somewhat sharply pointed at the small end and 

 rounded at the other, and are of a pale brown colour with the pores 

 darker, forming a series of pin points. They measure about 1-7 X 

 1-42 ; the breeding season is usually in September in the Colony, 

 though Major Sparrow took some fresh eggs at Dornkop, in the 

 Orange River Colony, on November 27, which he presented to the 

 South African Museum. 



The Guinea-fowl is tame and easily domesticated, and is often 

 found on farms ; sometimes the eggs are taken and placed under 

 hens, sometimes the young chicks are caught, but it is stated that 

 they never breed in captivity nor do they mate with the domestic 

 race. The latter can be distinguished at once by their smaller size 

 and by their white primaries and breast, and were probably origin- 

 ally derived from the West African species (N. meleagris). 



At the same time Distant states that he has seen among the 



