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 ! T 7 g- by 1 T 4 ^ inch ; and weighs 

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



