320 NATURAL HISTORY. 



the latter suddenly drop his head, squat, and spread his tail 

 over his back ; the owl then glances over without inflicting 

 any injury, at the very instant that the turkey suffers him- 

 self to fall headlong towards the earth, when he is secure from 

 his dreaded enemy." 



NUMIDA. (Lat.) 



Meleagris, the Guinea-fowl^ 



The GUINEA-FOWL or PINTADO was originally brought from 

 Africa, and was anciently confounded with the turkey. From 

 its peculiar cry it has gained the name of " Come-back." In 

 its wild state it is gregarious, assembling in large flocks in 

 some marshy situation. At night the birds roost on the trees 

 in company, like the turkey. It is of a restless, wandering 

 disposition, which does not leave it in captivity, the bird fre- 

 quently wandering for several miles from its home. Like the 

 turkey, the Pintado lays its eggs in the closest concealment it 

 can find. The eggs are rather smaller than those of the hen, 

 the shell is very thick, and the colour is a yellowish red pro- 

 fusely spotted with dark brown. 



This is the bird that was called Meleagris by the ancients. 

 The sisters of Meleager were said to have been metamorphosed 

 in*to birds, whose feathers were sprinkled with the tears shed 

 for his death. 



