THE GUINEA-FOWL. 4 1 I 



pregnant, and desiring a son, hatched an egg in her bosom. The egg 

 produced a male bird ; the empress, in consequence, concluded that 

 her issue would be a son. This was realised, for she brought into 

 the world Tiberius — rather a wicked bird, as every one knows. 



The Tragopans (Ceriornis) and the Firebacks {Gallop hasis) both 

 belong to India or the Indian Archipelago, and are all remarkable 

 for the brilliancy of their plumage. The Tragopan, which Buffon 

 calls the Horned Pheasant, looks like a cross between the Domestic 

 Fowl and the Pheasant, but is distinguished by two small horns which 

 decorate the head of the male. The Firebacks live in a wild state, 

 being as yet unknown domesticated, consequently little can be said 

 of their habits, they probably differ but slightly from those of the 

 pheasant. 



Guinea-fowls (Nitmidiz) have remarkably small heads for their 

 size ; 'beak and neck short ; the tail equally short and drooping • the 

 tarsus very low, and destitute of spurs j body round ; wings short 

 and concave ; on the head is a hard crest of a reddish blue, some- 

 times replaced in mature birds by a tuft ; the wattles are fleshy, and 

 hang under the beak. 



The Common Guinea-fowl (Nwnida meleagris, Fig. 156), has a 

 slate-coloured plumage, covered with white spots ; it is indigenous 

 to Africa, and its introduction into Europe dates from far back, for 

 it was done by the Greeks and Romans. The former made it an 

 emblem of paternal affection. According to Greek writers, the sisters 

 of Meleager felt such grief at the death of their brother that Diana, 

 to terminate their woes, turned them into Guinea-fowls. The goddess, 

 wishing that their plumage should bear the trace of their tears, marked 

 it with white spots. 



The Romans, who highly esteemed the flesh of these birds, 

 propagated them with the greatest care; but after the invasion of 

 Rome by the barbarians they disappeared from Europe ; and even 

 during the Middle Ages we cease to hear of them. The Portuguese 

 re-discovered them in Africa on their return from the Indies, and 

 again imported them into Europe, where they have since multiplied 

 to a great extent. But the turbulent and quarrelsome character of 

 these birds, and their noisy and discordant cries, are serious obstacles' 

 to their becoming favourites ; they have also ceaseless quarrels with 

 Hens and Turkeys, and although not so strong as their antagonists, 

 they fight them fearlessly. They have been seen to attack the young 

 of other birds, and split their skulls with a blow of their beaks. They 

 show great attachment to their own young, yet they occupy themselves 

 but little with the cares of a family ; consequently their progeny is 



