216 
POPULAR HISTOEY OF BIRDS. 
it being long^ give these birds a rounded shape. There are 
four or five species^ all natives of Africa. The most common 
is the Guinea Fowl [Numida meleagris), so well known from 
its slate-coloured plumage which is prettily dotted with white 
spots. These birds in the wild state are very cunnings and 
are described by Lieutenant Grant"^^ who met with them at 
the Cape de Verd Islands^ as planting an advanced sentinel 
while the covey are feeding, to give them the alarm in case 
of danger. So shy are they that it is difiicult to get within 
sliot of them ; the best time is to watch them when they 
come to drink^ and as such places^ especially in the dry 
season, are very few in number, they come there occasionally 
in considerable numbers. Mr. Jesse t remarks, that it is 
a beautiful arrangement of Providence that Guinea Fowls, 
which deposit their eggs on the ground^ should liave the 
shells so hard that the snakes of the country cannot break 
them. He says that the Guinea Fowl lays more eggs than 
any other bird. Although the name of Meleagris has been 
applied to the turkey, a bird of North America, and of 
course unknown to the ancients, the Meleagndes of the 
Greeks were Guinea Fowls. According to their mythology, 
* Voyage of Lady Nelson, p. 17. 
t In his edition of White's 'Selborne/ p. 311. 
