CLASS II. AVES: ORDER 5 RASORES. 
249 
GOINEA-FOWL. 
Qenus NUMIDA : JSFumida. — This includes the Guinea-Fowl or Pintado, jSF. meleagris, now 
common in our poultry-yards ; it is indigenous to tlie tropical parts of Africa ; it is somewhat 
larger than the common fowl, of a bluish gray color, and covered with small, round, white spots. 
It is a restless, noisy bird, frequently uttering a harsh, ringing cry of ca-viac, ca-mac. It is said 
this cry Avill frighten crows away from the vicinity where these birds are kept. Their flesh is 
excellent, and the eggs, which they produce abundantly, are much valued. In a wild state they 
live in flocks, in woods, preferring marshy places, and feed on insects, worms, and seeds ; they roost 
on trees; the nest is made on the ground, and usually contains as many as twenty eggs. They 
have been propagated in the Island of Jamaica to such an extent as to have become wild, and are 
shot like other game. They do much damage to the crops, and are therefore destroyed by va- 
rious means, one of which is to get them tipsy by strewing corn steeped in rum, and mixed with 
the intoxicating juice of the cassava, upon the ground; this the birds devour, and are soon found 
in a helpless state of inebriety. 
The Crested Pintado, JSF. cristafa, is smaller than the preceding; color bluish-black, spotted 
with gray ; found in Western Africa. Another species is called N. maculipennis. 
THE PHASIANINJ3 OR TRUE PHEASANTS. 
These are among the most brilliant and beautiful of the feathered tribes ; there are several 
species, all originally confined to Asia, but many of them now domesticated in Europe. 
Genus PHASIANUS : Fhasianus, — The best known species is the Common Pheasant of 
Europe. This is a native of western Asia, and is supposed to have been originally introduced into 
Europe from the banks of the Phasis, a river of the ancient kingdom of Colchis, situated at the 
eastern extremity of the Black Sea, and from this locality its scientific name is derived. It is 
now, however, very generally distributed over the whole of the southern parts of Europe. It is 
abundant in the parks of England, where it is carefully protected by game laws, and is only al- 
lowed to be shot at particular seasons, and by persons duly authorized by the proprietors. Groups 
of these superb birds are seen in the English preserves, almost as common as domestic fowls. 
The cock pheasant, including his long and beautiful tail, is thirty-four inches long ; the general 
color above is chestnut-brown, shaded with red ; the head and neck steel blue, reflecting brown, 
green, and purple, in diff'erent lights ; the breast and belly are golden red. No description, how- 
ever, can give any idea of the cff'ect of the rich colors, beautifully distributed, in spots, lines, and 
patches of various graceful forms. 
Vol. II.— 32 
