GUINEA-FOWL. 325 



ORDER. GALLING. (Poultry.} 

 FAM. PHASIANIB^E. (The Pheasants.) 



GUINEA-FOWL.* 

 Numida meleagris. LINN. 



IN a country whose genial climate so closely 

 resembled its own, and which abounded with dense 

 and tangled thickets, the well-known wandering 

 propensities of the Guinea-fowl would no doubt 

 cause it to become wild very soon after its intro- 

 duction. It was abundant in Jamaica as a wild 

 bird, 150 years ago, for Falconer mentions it 

 among the wild game, in his amusing " Adventures." 

 I shall confine myself to a few notes of its present 

 habits, which are in all probability those of its 

 original condition. 



The Guinea-fowl makes itself too familiar to 

 the settlers by its depredations in the pro vision - 

 grounds. In the cooler months of the year, they 

 come in numerous coveys from the woods, and scat- 

 tering themselves in the grounds at early dawn, 

 scratch up the yams and cocoes. A large hole is 

 dug by their vigorous feet in very short time, and 

 the tubers exposed, which are then pecked away, 

 so as to be almost destroyed, and quite spoiled. 



* Length 2l inches, expanse 3l, flexure 10, tail 5, rictus 1^, tar- 

 sus 3, middle toe 2^. Irides hazel ; feet black. 



