164 GUINEA FOWLS. 



and which, from alternate exposure to the water 

 and sun, had contracted a dark, glossy hue, exactly 

 resembling black glazed earthenware ; finding, how- 

 ever, that in all probability some further time must 

 yet elapse before it would be practicable for the 

 waggon to cross — the means of constructing a raft 

 for its safe transit not being within our reach — 

 we were reluctantly compelled to abandon all design 

 of prosecuting our journey in this direction. 



We picked up here several curious stones, among 

 which were some fine specimens of cornelian, agate, 

 and chalcedon, of various forms and colours. Sitting 

 under the Babylonian willows (salioc Babylonica), 

 we observed a number of Egyptian geese (chenalopeoe 

 Egyptiaca) flying up and down the river, and shot a 

 pintado, or guinea-fowl, of which there were great 

 quantities of the larger description, those of the 

 smaller size being found in the neighbourhood of 

 the Fish River. These guinea-fowls are peculiar to 

 Africa as native species, though they now breed 

 freely as domestic birds both in Europe and America. 

 There are three kinds of this bird known to natu- 

 ralists, viz., the guinea pintado, Numida meleagris, 

 common to our poultry-yards ; the mitred pintado, 

 Numida mitraia, and the crested pintado, Numida 

 cristata. Hoopoes, and a variety of woodpeckers, 

 kingfishers, and finches, with other beautiful birds, 

 were also very numerous, flying from tree to tree on 

 the banks of the river. 



