QUIKKA FO'WL. 58 



Strongly. The cook has only the harsh shrill cry of alarm, 

 which, however, is also common to the femaJe. 



There is one circumstance, in regard to the habits of the guinea 

 cock, that is, he i>airs only with his mate in most cases, like a 

 partridge or a pigeon. In the case where a guinea cook and two 

 hens are kept, it will be found, on close observation, that though 

 the three keep together so as to form one pack, yet that the cock 

 and one hen will be unkind and stingy to the other unfortunate 

 female, keep her at a certain distance, merely sofEerlng her 

 society. The neglected hen wiU lay eggs, in appearance, like 

 those of the other, in the same nest. If they are to be eaten, all 

 well and good; but if a brood is wanted and the eggs of the 

 despised one chance to be taken for the purpose of hatching, the 

 result is disappointment and addled eggs. 



It is best to hatch the eggs of the guinea fowl under a hen of 

 some other species; a Bantam hen makes a first class mother, 

 being lighter, and less likely to injure the eggs by treading on 

 them than a fall sized fowl. She wUl well cover nine eggs, and 

 incubation will last about a month. 



Feed the chicks frequently, five or six times a day is not too 

 often, they have such extraordinary powfrs of digestion, and 

 their growth is so rapid, that they require food every two hours. 

 A check once received can never be recovered. In such cases 

 they do not mox>e and pine, for a day or two, like young turkeys 

 under similar circTunstances and then die; but inhalf anhour after, 

 being in, apparent health, they fall on their backs, give a convul- 

 sive kick or two, and fiill victims to starvation. Hard-boiled 

 egg, chopped fine, small worms, bread crumbs, chopped meat, 

 or suet, whatever, in short, is most nutritious, is their most 

 appropriate food. 



