288 



THE AMEEICAN POULTERER'S COMPANION. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



WILD BIRDS SUSCEPTIBLE OF DOMESTICATION. 



THERE can not be a doubt but that all the 

 domestic fowls we now possess have been re- 

 claimed from a wild state. We are certain the 

 turkey and the Musk duck have been recently 

 reclaimed ; and we see no reason why many 

 more may not be domesticated as well, if any 

 pains were taken to do it. But those who have 

 tried the experiment say that it requires three 

 or four generations to bring them down to a 

 thoroughly domesticated state. There are quite 

 a number of beautiful wild fowl that, if domes- 

 ticated, would not only make iiseful additions 

 to the flocks of our poultry-yards, but add great- 

 ly to the beauty of those flocks. We are aware 

 that many attempts have been made to domes- 

 ticate that elegant and most beautiful of the 

 duck tribe, known as the Wood or Summer 

 duck, but have not heard of any systematic 

 efforts being made to perpetuate them in a do- 

 mestic state. It would require great care, at- 

 tention, and perseverance; still, we think, it 

 may be accomplished. 



The following remarks upon the wild stocks 

 was furnished by a gentleman of Boston, well 

 known as an ornithologist and a natural histo- 

 rian, who was solicited by the Committee of 

 Supervision of the Exhibition of Poultry held 

 in the city of Boston in 1849 to furnish them 

 with his views on the classification of domestic 

 poultry, and the kinds which might, with ad- 

 vantage, be introduced into our poultry-yards: 

 "The order," says the writer, "from which 

 the most valuable poultry is derived is that 

 known to naturalists as Gallinse, or Gallina- 

 ceous birds. The genus of these first in order 

 is that known as Penelope, or Guan, of which 

 there is not much to be said as regards their 



fitness for the poultry-yard as I know of but 

 one instance in which one has been brought to 

 this country. I brought a female specimen of 

 Crested Guan with me on my return from Yu- 

 catan, which did not live a year after its arrival. 

 This bird is of the size of a small turkey, weigh- 

 ing, when full grown, seven or eight pounds : 

 the meat is very good. They live principally 

 on the leaves of trees and such like food, greed- 

 ily eating grass, clover, etc. ; in short, almost 

 any green herbage, and also fruits of various 

 kinds. They are not difficult to domesticate in 

 their native countries ; but, I think, could hard- 

 ly be made to survive our cold winters. 



" The next genus would be that of Crax, or 

 Curassow, known as the Mexican Pheasant. 

 There are a number of species of this genus, of 

 which several are frequently domesticated in 

 their native country. I brought with me three 

 different species to this country, viz., one Crax 

 Rubra, one Crax Alector, and one Crax Globi- 

 cera. The Crax Alector was killed by a dog 

 a few days after we arrived; the other two 

 lived until winter, when, in order to save my- 

 self the trouble of keeping, I lent them to a 

 traveling menagerie, and they soon died, owing 

 probably to neglect. These birds are larger and 

 more hardy than those of the previously men- 

 tioned genus. Their meat is very good, and 

 they feed on much the same food as the Guans. 

 They might, perhaps, with care, be kept in this 

 country ; but of this I do not feel very sanguine. 



"The next genus which affords any thing 

 likely to be of value in the poultry -yard is that 

 of Pavo, or Peacock. There are three known 

 species belonging to this genus, of which the 

 Pavo Cristatus is the one generally known. 



