575 



CHAPTER XXXVIII. 



POSSIBLE ADDITIONS TO THE POULTRY-YARD. 



In concluding a work like the present, it vvill not be thought out of place if we finally devote a few 

 lines to the inquiry of whether there are not creatures as yet undomesticated by man, but which 

 are fully capable of such domestication, and of adding materially to the resources of the poultry- 

 yard. To a certain extent, indeed, we have already anticipated this question ; for in mentioning 

 the Peacock Pheasant as a desirable addition to our ornamental birds, and suggesting the fitness of 

 some varieties at least of the Swan family for market purposes, we have in fact already entered 

 upon it. But a few words more especially to the point still seem desirable. 



We cannot, of course, discuss any creatures altogether unknown, and it is just possible that 

 even such may yet be discovered. It is true that most of the world has been ransacked now — 

 indeed, only Central Asia, Africa, and the North Pole seem now left to the daring explorer; while it 

 seems as if all three of these were to be " looked up " at once, and whatever they produce or 

 contain, living or dead, brought to light and turned to the account of a utilitarian age — but even 

 Africa, for instance, is a big place, and may contain other than Guinea fowls. It is rather 

 aggravating to think what chances have been missed. What a bird for the poultry-yard the Dodo 

 would have been ; and what a breakfast for a poor but large family (we have noticed that poor 

 families always are large) could have been provided from the &^g of a Moa, with some left to put 

 away in the larder after all had finished, if these birds had only managed to exist for just one hundred 

 years later ! The very qualities that led to their extinction would in all probability have favoured 

 domestication ; and it is just possible that inland Africa, for instance, may yet yield up similar 

 creatures for the use of man. With these, however, we cannot at present deal ; but looking around 

 us upon such as are already in some measure known, we cannot resist the conclusion that some at 

 least of these are capable of ministering to his use, were a little pains taken to make them available. 

 We do not mean to say that, such creatures are numerous, but we may instance at once the 

 Curassows and Guans, the Crowned Pigeons, and the American Prairie Hen or Pinnated Grouse, 

 as worth at least some effort in this direction ; while the Tragopans or Horned Pheasants, the 

 Impeyan Pheasants, and perhaps some others, are also deserving of a patient trial. A few words 

 on each will suffice for our present purpose. 



THE CURASSOWS {Cracida) are nearly as large as ordinary turkeys. They are partially 

 arboreal in their habits, roosting in the trees, and occasionally making their nests there, but also 

 incubating upon the ground. Their flesh is most delicious ; they grow fast ; and are tame, bold, 

 and fearless in disposition ; all which qualities point them out as extremely likely to prove useful to 

 man ; while their extremely handsome appearance is another strong recommendation. Any one 

 who will give even a passing inspection to the collection of Curassows always to be found in the 

 Regent's Park Gardens, and remark the large size, elegant plumage and appearance, and extremely 

 tame and fearless manner in which the birds come to the front of their enclosure to take food from 



