220 FARMING FOR LADIES. [cH.i 



CHAPTER X. 



Origin of the Guinea-bird — Introduction into this counti-y — 

 Price — Description — Habits — Modes of keeping them out 

 of gardens — Difficulty of discovering their nests — Eggs 

 — Flesh — Pheasants, and their domestication — Partridges 

 — Finding of a brood — Pea- fowls — Beauty of the cock — 

 Origin — Ancient use and mode of dressing — Value as 

 food — Italian saying. 



The Pintado, or Guinea-fowl, is a native 

 of Afi'ica, where it is found in large flocks, 

 both in a wild and domesticated state, and 

 has been difiused over the greater part of the 

 habitable world. It was, indeed, very early 

 introduced into Europe, where it formed a 

 prominent delicacy at the expensive enter- 

 tainments of the ancient Romans, and soon 

 spread over all the southern states ; but, as 

 being indigenous to a warm climate, it only 

 slowly made its appearance in the north, in 

 many parts of which it is even now unknown. 

 Although brought to this country at so early 

 a period that an author, who wrote in the 

 sixteenth century, gives directions respecting 



