GUINEA-FOWL. 327 



to as a means of escape, save to the extent of gain- 

 ing the elevation of a tree : the body is too heavy, 

 the wings too short and hollow, and the sternal 

 apparatus too weak, for flight to be any other than a 

 painful and laborious performance. 



The Guinea-fowl is sometimes caught by the 

 following stratagem; a small quantity of corn is 

 steeped for a night in proof rum, and is then placed 

 in a shallow vessel, with a little fresh rum, and the 

 water expressed from a bitter cassava, grated ; this is 

 deposited within an inclosed ground, to which the 

 depredators resort. A small quantity of the grated 

 cassava is then strewn over it, and it is left. The 

 fowls eat the medicated food eagerly, and are soon 

 found reeling about intoxicated, unable to escape, 

 and content with thrusting the head into a corner. 

 Frequently a large part of the flock are found dead, 

 from this cause. 



Though savoury, and in high request for the table, 

 the Guinea-fowl sometimes acquires an insufferably 

 rank odour, from feeding on the fetid Petiveria 

 alliacea ; and is then uneatable. 



The eggs are deposited in the midst of a dense 

 tussock of grass, to the amount of a dozen or more. 

 It is said that occasionally the number is greatly 

 higher ; and that they are laid stratum super stratum, 

 with leaves between. If this is true, probably more 

 than one hen participates in the maternity. The wild 

 bird's egg measures 1 T V by l T 4 ff inch ; and weighs 

 6 dr., 1 sc., 2 gr. (Rob. MSS.) 



