192 MY FARM. 



fraternize charmingly, and threaten to become one 

 family. These birds, unlike all other feathered 

 animals, show no marked difference of appearance 

 between the sexes ; so slight is this indeed, that 

 even the naturalists have blundered into errors, and 

 left us in the dark.* Even a fighting propensity 

 does not distinguish the cock, I observe; for the 

 female bird is an arrant termagant, and has under- 

 taken, in my own flock, a fierce battle with a torn- 

 turkey, in which, though worsted, and eventually 

 killed, she showed a fine chivalrous pluck. They 

 are not, however, quarrelsome among themselves ; 

 although flocking together in communities, the male 

 birds are strictly faithful to their mates, and mani- 

 fest none of the sultanic propensities which so de- 

 plorably mislead the other domestic fowls. 



Notwithstanding their harsh cry, to which the 

 Greeks gave a special descriptive name, f I like the 

 Guinea-fowl ; they are excellent layers, enormous 

 devourers of insects a little over-fond, it is true, 

 of young cauliflowers, and grapes, yet a stanch, 

 lively, self-possessed bird ; and notwithstanding the 

 sneers of Varro,| whose taste must have been poor 

 in the matter of poultry, excellent eating. 



* Buffon ; De la Pintard. f Kc^-afc". 



\ Lib. III., De Re Rust. Use novissimse in triclinium gauearium 

 introierunt e culiiia propter fastidium hominum. Veueunt propter 

 penuriam magno. 



