THE PINTATA. 215 



""the head is covered with a kind of casque; the back is 

 round, and the tail turns downwards like a partridge : 

 the plumage is black, or dark-gre) r , covered over with 

 white spots ; and both the cock and hen have wattles 

 under their chin ; the former 'of which are of a bluish 

 cast, whilst the latter is inclined to red. 



The guinea-hen is common all over Europe, but it is 

 supposed originally to have been an inhabitant of Africa, 

 as in that country they are seen together in large flocks ; 

 they are known by the name of the Barbary-hen, the 

 Tamis-bird, and the bird of Numidia. In our climate, 

 they seldom lay above five or six eggs, (which are 

 spotted in the same manner as their feathers ;) but, in 

 their native regions, they are said to be much more pro- 

 lific. They are a very difficult bird to rear ; and many- 

 do not consider them as a delicate kind of food. 



THE BUSTARD. 



The bustard is the largest land-bird that is a native 

 of Britain, though they were once infinitely more nu- 

 merous than they are at present, occasioned by the ex- 

 treme delicacy of their flesh, and the increased culti- 

 vation of the lands, as the woods used to serve them 

 for shelter and retreat. 



The bustard, in appearance, is much larger than & 

 turkey, as the legs are near a foot and a half in length ; 

 and the male generally weighs near seven-and-twenty 

 pounds : the neck is at least a foot long ; but the wings 

 are not proportioned to the rest of the body, as, when 

 extended to the utmost, they do not measure more than 

 four feet : the head and neck of the male are ash-coloured; 

 the back is barred transversely with a bright black and 

 rust colour : the belly is white; and the tail, which con- 

 sists of twenty feathers, is marked with broad black bars. 



p4 



