Guinea Fowls. ' 505 



There is no doubt whatever that in a state of nature the Guinea fowl is monogamous, or pairs ; 

 but two hens may safely be allowed to one cock in captivity. With more than this the result is 

 doubtful ; we have known persons put as many as four hens without harm, but in other cases such 

 an experiment has not succeeded. The cock calls his hens to a choice morsel of food much as 

 the common chanticleer does ; apart from this and other obvious demonstrations, the gender is 

 somewhat difficult to distinguish. One mark of the sexes is the cry, the hen alone uttering 

 the peculiar note which almost every one has compared to the words "Come back!" uttered in a 

 shrill tone, and which we may almost imagine to have been acquired from the cries of despairing 

 hen-wives, in entreaties oft repeated to these errant ladies. Cock birds may also be distinguished 

 by their arching their backs, and running along on tip-toe with a mincing air ; they are also more 

 spiteful than the hens to other poultry. Another mark of sex is that the wattles of the male are 

 larger than those of the female, and rather differently placed. 



An American writer states that he has kept nine hens to one cock, and that nearly all the eggs 

 were good. He adds that the nine hens averaged 122 eggs each during the year. In neither 

 point does this experience agree with what we have been able to collect from English breeders ; 

 but the warm summer climate and plentiful grain-supply of the United States must be taken 

 into consideration. 



We have seen that even in the wild state the Guinea fowl varies in colour ; and still more 

 variation might be expected to occur under domestication, which is accordingly the case. The 

 ordinary fowl retains the original marking with great uniformity, being a number of small white 

 spots over a purplish grey ground. This is sometimes called the Pearl Guinea Fowl, from the 

 supposed resemblance of the spots to small pearls. Occasionally these colours are found reversed, 

 the spots being dark and the ground light, which produces a most curious effect. White Guinea 

 fowls are also well known, and by crossing these with the dark varieties, pied fowls have been 

 produced. The White variety has been stated to be the result of domestication ; but Ellis, in his 

 "Three Visits to Madagascar," writes: "Among the companions of my journey was an officer, 

 attended by a slave carrying in a neatly-made wicker cage a pair of perfectly white Guinea fowls, 

 as a great rarity, and a present from the chief of a distant province to the prince." Madagascar 

 being a well-known habitat of the fowl in question, and having at least one sub-race or variety 

 of its own, it is almost certain the birds here described were simply a rare sport, like the white 

 elephants of India. Blue and dun birds, almost or even quite destitute of spots, are often met 

 with; but the ordinary or " pearl" plumage is far the most common. Mr. Hewitt remarks that 

 " unless the birds are ivlioUy white, white feathers in any part, even in the flight-feathers, are most 

 unsightly and objectionable in a Guinea fowl." 



The Guinea fowl is found wild in the Cape Verde Islands, and also in Jamaica, to both of 

 which there is no doubt it has been carried from Africa. In spite, however, of its great elegance 

 of form and feather, it is rarely seen at shows ; the reasons being, Mr. Hewitt states, that they are 

 in the first place "so hard to catch," and when caught look so restless and unhappy in a pen. 

 On one or two occasions we have found classes for them, and in such cases have always noticed 

 that they were much admired, especially by ladies. In judging them when shown, no fixed 

 standard can be laid down ; but size, general symmetry, good condition, and elegance of plumage 

 and general appearance must be taken into consideration. 



Hybrids are not very uncommon between the Guinea fowl and other poultry. The last case 

 we knew of was between the Guinea fowl and Dark Brahma. In this, as in all other instances we 

 have heard of, the progeny was very wild and perfectly sterile. The Guinea fowl has also been 

 known to cross with the turkey-hen. 

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