438 



THE GUINEA-FOWL. 



The female makes her oest in some secluded spot, aud is very guarded 

 in her approaches, seldom employing the same path twice in succession, 

 and, if discovered, using various wiles by which to draw the intruder from 

 the spot. As soon as the young are hatched she takes them under her 



charge, and the whole 

 family go wandering 

 about to great distances, 

 at first returning to the 

 nest for the night, but af- 

 terward crouching in any 

 suitable spot. Marshy 

 places are avoided by 

 the Turkey, as wet is 

 fatal to the young birds 

 until they have attain- 

 ed their second suit of 

 clothes and wear feathers 

 instead of down. When 

 they are about a fortnight 

 old they are able to get 

 up into trees and roost 

 in the branches, safe 

 from most of the nu- 

 merous enemies which 

 beset their path through 

 life. 



The Turkey is a very 

 migratory bird, passing 

 over great distances and retaining the habit in its tamed state, giving no 

 small amount of trouble to the poultry-owner. 



The prettily-spotted Guinea Fowl or Pintado, sometimes called 

 Gallini, is, although now domesticated in England, a native of Africa, 

 and has much of the habits and propensities of the turkey. 



Both in the wild and the captive state the Guinea Fowl is wary and 

 suspicious, and particularly careful not to betray the position of its nest, 

 thus often giving great trouble to the former. Sometimes, when the 

 breeding season approaches; the female Pintado will hide herself and 

 nest so effectually that the only indication of her proceedings is her 

 subsequent appearance with a brood of young round her. The num- 

 ber of eggs is rather l^ge, being seldom below ten, and often double 

 tliat number. Their color is yellowish red, covered with very little 

 dark spots, and their size is less than that of the eggs of the common 

 fowl. Their shells are extremely hard and thick, and when boiled for 

 the table require some little exertion to open properly. 



Wild Turkeys {Meleagris 

 1. Male. 2. Female. 



