124 THE HOME POULTRY BOOK 



as they endure confinement with some degree of 

 patience. 



Gray African geese are good layers and excellent 

 for the table, as the meat is fine-grained. They can 

 be made to weigh eight pounds in ten weeks, so that 

 they rival the Pekin duck. Many breeders find 

 them profitable. Geese have strong lungs and are 

 prone to exercise them when startled or when stran- 

 gers approach. Sometimes this is an advantage; 

 every schoolboy knows that a flock of geese once 

 saved Rome. 



When it comes to noise, however, the guinea 

 fowl claims attention. Its raucous cry may be 

 heard a long distance and often unpleasantly early 

 in the morning. But then, even the gorgeous pea- 

 cock offends in this way. It often happens, too, 

 that the cry of the guinea fowl is not to be deplored, 

 for it is highly effective in keeping away hawks and 

 may be depended upon to give the alarm if intruders 

 attempt to enter the poultry house at night. 

 Guineas are being grown in increasing numbers be- 

 cause of the demand created by high-class hotels, 

 clubs and restaurants. Game has become scarce 

 and guinea chickens are the best substitute which 

 has been discovered. Formerly they masqueraded 



