CHAPTER XVIII. 



GUINEA-FOWLS AND PEAFOWLS. 



THE GUINEA-FOWL. 



The €riiinea-fowl8 are natives of Africa and Madagascar, where they are 

 found under nine or ten species, constituting the genus Nwirvida, which, with 

 the allied genera Agelastes and Phamd/ua, each represented by one species, make 

 up the family Numid/icB. 



The genus Nwmida is suh-divided into three groups, of which one has a bone 



casque upon the head; a second has a crest or plume of feathers in the place of 



the casque, and the third, comprising but one species, is destitute of either 



- casque or crest, and is called the Vulturine Guinea-fowl, from the vulture-like 



appearance of its head. 



The domesticated Guinea-fowl owes its origin to the first group, and to either 

 the species Nurmda mdeagris or 2f. ptUoryncha, or both. iV. mdeagris inhabits 

 the west coast of Africa, from the Gambia to the Gaboon, whence it has been 

 imported into the Cape Verde islands, and also intp some of the West Indies, 

 where it is now found wild, and is sometimes extremely troublesome to farmers 

 from its propensity to scratch up and eat the seed corn, peas etc., and the yams 

 and cocoas. 



Abyssinia, Kordossan and Sennar, are inhabited by N. ptOoryneha, which is 

 distinguished from N. Mdeagris by having a blue face and wattles, and a tuft of 

 stiff, white bristles at the base of the upper mandible. Darwin was inclined 

 to regard this species as the true origin of the domesticated fowl, * but in this 

 he is disputed by other naturalists. 



It seems that the Guinea-fowl was in domestication during the time of 

 Columella, since he described two varieties ot fowls corresponding to iV. mdea- 

 gris and JV. ptiloryncha, but we have no record of it after his time until since 

 the introduction of the turkey, or "about the middle of the sixteenth century, 

 when it was described by Gesuer. 



The VwUurme Gwmea-fowl has never been domesticated ; but we learn that 

 "fforts are now being made to introduce it into England with a view to adding it 

 to the attractions of the poultry-yard. 



The ordinary Guinea-fowl retains much of its wild nature in domestication, 

 in common with its cousins, the turkey and the peafowl. It will seldom roost 

 in the fowl-house, preferring the lower branches of trees; the hen is very skill- 

 ful in hiding her nest; and the young birds after they are a few weeks old, 

 thrive best to be allowed ample range. 



In the natural state it seems probable t hat the Guinearfowl was monogamous; 



» Animals and Plante under DouaeBficatiop— I., p- 294. 

 [1831 



