NUMIDA VULTURINA, Hardw. 
Nim. capite, gula coUoqtie superiore plumis egentihus, pilis attamen nigris adspersis ad collum longioribus ; nuchn plumis 
lanuginosis fuscis crebri vestitA ; collo inferiore plumis elongatis lanceolatisque ornato, singulis strigam albam 
centralem ostendentibus; hanc linea sordidi nigrd et albo irrorata, cingente, margineque exteriore coeruleo ; plumis 
dorsi superioris has simulantibus, latiorihus attamen, striga albd centrali angustiore, guttisque parvulis albis in 
lineam nigram oblique currentibus; alarum tectricibus, dorso, uroptjgio, caudd, tectricibus caudex, crissoque, cum 
femoribus, nigrescenti-fuscis, guttis rotundatis crebre ornatis singulis nigro circumdatis, intervallis guttis parvulis 
sordide albis irroratis; primariis fuscis, pogoniis externis apicibusque guttis sordide, albis ornatis; secundariis 
nigrescenti-fuscis, pogoniis externis lineis albis imperfectis tribus longitudinalitcr notatis ; pogoniis internis seriem 
triplicem guttarum albarum ostendentibus ; pectore lateribusque abdominis metallice coeruleis ; abdomine medio nigro ; 
lateribus sordide rosaceis guttis albis nigro-cinctis crebre notatis ; rostro sordide rubro ; pedibus f uscis. 
Long. tot. 18 unc . ; rostri, 2 ; alce, 11 ; caudee, 5j- ; tarsi, 3|-. 
Head, throat, and upper part of the throat destitute of feathers but besprinkled with hairs of a black colour, which 
are longest on the neck ; nape thickly clothed with short velvet-like brown feathers ; lower part of the neck 
ornamented with long lanceolate and flowing feathers, which have a broad stripe of white dowm the centre, to 
which on each side sncceeds a line of dull black, finely dotted with white, and margined with fine blue j 
feathers of the anterior part of the back of a similar form, but broader and with a narrower line of white 
down the centre, and Avith the minute white dots disposed in irregular and obliquely transverse lines ; wing- 
coverts, back, rump, tail, upper and under tail-coverts and thighs blackish brown, ornamented with numerous 
round and irregular spots of white surrounded with circles of black, the uitermediate spaces filled with very 
minute dots of dull white ; primaries brown with light shafts and spots of brownish white on the outer web, 
and the tips of the inner ; secondaries brownish black, with three imperfect lines of white disposed lengthwise- 
on the outer web, and three rows of irregular spots of white on the inner web ; breast and sides of the abdo- 
men beautiful metallic blue ; centre of the abdomen black ; flanks dull pink with numerous spots of white 
surrounded with circles of black ; bill brownish red ; feet brown. 
Numida vulturina, Hardw., in Proc. of Zool. Soc. Part II. 1834. p. 52. 
The Guinea Fowl.s, as they are familiarly termed, constitute one of the most isolated groups among the 
Gallinacees ; five or six species are now known, all of which are from Africa. 
Independently of the chaste and delicately spotted markings which adorn the whole of this tribe, the neck 
of the present species is ornamented by a ruff of lanceolate flowing plumes, which nevv feature, as well as the 
head being entirely devoid of fleshy appendages, render it conspicuously different from all its congeners. We 
are not able to furnish any account of its history, further than that our figure is taken from an example, in all 
probability unique, forming a part of the collection of the United Service Museum, to which it was presented 
by Captain Probyn. It is certainly one of the most noble birds that has been discovered for some years, and 
we indulge in the hope that the period may not be far distant when we shall become better acquainted with 
the species, and that living individuals may even become denizens of our menageries and farmyards, where it 
would doubtless thrive equally as well as its allied congener, wdiich is so familiar to all and whose original 
stock is still found in a wild state in the part of Africa which the present lovely species is suj)posed to 
inhabit. 
Habitat Western Africa. 
The figure is of the natural size. 
