CLASS 11. AVES: ORDER 5 R AS ORES. 



249 





J^^x^ 



GUINEA-FOWL. 



Genus NUMIDA : Numida. — Tliis includes the Guinea-Fowl or Pintado, jSF. meleagris, now 

 common in our poultry-yards ; it is indigenous to the tropical parts of Africa ; it is somewhat 

 larger than the common fowl, of a bluish gray color, and covered with small, round, white spots. 

 It is a restless, noisy bird, frequently uttering a harsh, ringing cry of ca-mac, ca-mac. It is said 

 this cry will frighten crows away from the vicinity where these birds are kept. Their flesh is 

 excellent, and the eggs, which they produce abundantly, arc much valued. In a wild state they 

 live in flocks, in woods, preferring marshy places, and feed on insects, worms, and seeds ; they roost 

 on trees; the nest is made on the ground, and usually contains as many as twenty eggs. They 

 have been propagated in the Island of Jamaica to such an extent as to have become wild, and are 

 shot like other game. They do much damage to the crops, and are therefore destroyed by va- 

 rious means, one of which is to get them tipsy bv strewing corn steeped in rum, and mixed with 

 the intoxicating juice of the cassava, upon the ground; this the birds devour, and are soon found 

 in a helpless state of inebriety. 



The Crested Pintado, iV. cristafa, is smaller than the preceding; color bluish-black, spotted 

 with gray ; found in Western Africa, Another species is called iV. maculipenni>i. 



THE PHASIANINiE OR TRUE PHEA8ANTS. 



These are among the most brilliant and beautiful of the feathered tribes ; there are several 

 species, all originally confined to Asia, but many of them now domesticated in Europe. 



Genus PHASIANUS : Phasianus. — The best known species is the Common Pheasant of 

 Europe. This is a native of Avestern Asia, and is supposed to have been originally introduced into 

 Europe from the banks of the Fhasis, a river of the ancient kingdom of Colchis, situated at the 

 eastern extremity of the Black Sea, and from this locality its scientific name is derived. It is 

 now, however, very generally distributed over the whole of the southern parts of Europe. It is 

 abundant in the parks of England, where it is carefully protected by game laws, and is only al- 

 lowed to be shot at particular seasons, and by persons duly authorized by the proprietors. Groups 

 of these superb birds are seen in the English preserves, almost as common as domestic fowls. 

 The cock pheasant, including his long and beautiful tail, is thirty-four inches long ; the general 

 color above is chestnut-brown, shaded with red ; the head and neck steel blue, reflecting brown, 

 green, and purple, in diff'erent lights ; the breast and belly are golden red. No description, how- 

 ever, can give any idea of the eff"ect of the rich colors, beautifully distributed, in spots, lines, and 

 patches of various graceful forms. 



Vol. II.— 32' 



