234 NATURAL DISPOSITION. [CHAP. i. 



a reproach for past neglect, that an important addition 

 to our poultry stock is about to become firmly esta- 

 blished in this country. " It is singular that so little 

 pains have hitherto been taken to domesticate these 

 American Fowls ; since, by their sociability and gentle- 

 ness, they evince every disposition to live under the do- 

 minion of Man. The flesh, as we know from personal 

 experiment, is particularly delicious." 



More lately, the author of the article on Poultry in 

 " Knight's Farmer's Library," only just completed, an 

 able writer, and formerly attached to the Zoological 

 Society, who may be considered to give the most recent 

 notice respecting the practicability of domesticating 

 these birds, observes " It may be deemed wrong in us 

 to enumerate the Curassows among our domestic poul- 

 try, and indeed our great object here is to draw atten- 

 tion to them, as most valuable additions to our feathered 

 stock. They are not only readily susceptible of domes- 

 tication, but they have been domesticated ; and on this 

 ground we claim, for certain species at least, a place in 

 the present work." 



The Curassows approach to the size of Turkeys and 

 Pea-fowl, and congregate in flocks ; the Guans range 

 with our Pheasants in point of magnitude, though rather 

 exceeding them, and go in pairs. When caught young 

 and tamed, they appear to make themselves even more 

 at home than common fowls, being almost as sly, in- 

 quisitive, and full of tricks as Monkeys or Parrots. In- 

 stead of looking out for any secret place of retirement, 

 they readily make use of whatever accommodation we 

 prepare for them, preferring, if they can, to penetrate 

 into our houses, and even our sitting and sleeping 

 rooms. They live on very friendly terms with other 



