GUINEA-FOWLS. 435 



attempts in France have never been crowned with success. In 

 the Sunda Islands artificial incubation is accomplished in 

 another manner : here men are found who, for a small salary, 

 remain for three weeks stretched out and immovable upon eggs 

 placed in ashes. Antiquity has bequeathed to us the story of a 

 curious incubation made at Home by the Empress Livia. This 

 lady being pregnant, and desiring a son, thought of hatching 

 an egg in her bosom, and drawing a prognostic from the sex of 

 the chicken. The operation succeeded the egg having produced 

 a Cock, the empress concluded that her wishes would be granted. 

 These were realised, for she brought into the world Tiberius rather 

 a wicked bird, as every one knows. 



The TRAGOPANS (Ceriornis, Swainson) and the JUNGLE-FOWLS 

 belong to India or the Indian Archipelago, and are all remarkable 

 for the brilliancy of their plumage. The HOUPIFERES, or, as their 

 name expresses, Tuft-bearers, strongly resemble our Domestic 

 Fowl. The Tragopan, which Buffon. calls the Horned Pheasant, 

 looks like a cross between the Domestic Fowl and the Pheasant, 

 but is distinguished by two small horns, which decorate the head 

 of the male. Lastly, the Jungle-fowls live in a wild state, being 

 as yet unknown domesticated, consequently little can be said of 

 their habits, but they probably differ but slightly from those of the 

 Pheasants. 



PINTADOS (Guinea-fowls) have remarkably small heads for their 

 size ; beak and neck short ; the tail equally short and drooping ; 

 the tarsus very low, and destitute of spurs ; body round ; wings 

 short and concave ; on the head is a hard crest of a reddish blue, 

 sometimes replaced in mature birds by a tuft ; the wattles are 

 fleshy, and hang under the beak. 



The Common Guinea-fowl (Fig. 176) has a slate-coloured 

 plumage, covered with white spots ; it is indigenous to Africa, 

 and its introduction into Europe dates from far-distant times ; it 

 was known to the Greeks and Romans. The former made it an 

 emblem of paternal affection. According to Greek writers, the 

 sisters of Meleager felt such grief at the death of their brother, that 

 Diana, to terminate their woes, changed them into Guinea-fowls. 

 The goddess, wishing that their plumage should bear the trace of 

 their tears, marked it with white spots. 



FF2 



