THE rOULTHY BOOK. 
289 
Of the habits of these two species in their wild state on the African continent, 
hut little is known ; but the Guinea-fowl was introduced into the warm and genial 
climate of Jamaica, which closely resembles its own, nearly 200 years since ; there 
it soon became wild, and was described as wild game 150 years ago. We may 
therefore avail ourselves of Mr. Gosse’s description of its habits in that island, as 
being nearly identical with those of the birds in their native habitats. 
‘‘ The Guinea-fowl,” writes the author of the Birds of Jamaica, makes itself 
too familiar to the settlers by its depredations in the provision grounds. 
“ In the cooler months of the year, they come in numerous coveys from the 
woods, and scattering themselves in the grounds at early dawn, scratch up the 
yams and cocoes. A large hole is dug by their vigorous feet in a very short time, 
and the tubers exposed, which are then pecked away, so as to be almost destroyed, 
and quite spoiled. 
‘^^A little later, when the planting season begins, they do still greater damage 
by digging up and devouring the seed-yams and cocoe-heads, thus frustrating the 
hopes of the husbandman in the bud. The corn is no sooner put into the ground 
than it is scratched out ; and the peas are not only dug up by them, but shelled 
in the pod. 
The sweet potato, however, as I am informed, escapes their ravages, being 
invariably rejected by them. To protect the growing provisions, some of the 
negro peasants have recourse to scarecrows, and others endeavour to capture the 
birds by a common rat-gin set in their way. It must, however, be quite concealed, 
or it may as well be at home ; it is therefore sunk in the ground, and lightly 
covered with earth and leaves. 
A springe is useless, unless the cord be blackened and discoloured, so as to 
resemble the dry trailing stem of some creeper, for they are birds of extreme 
caution and suspicion. It is hence extremely difficult to shoot them, their fears 
being readily alarmed, and their fleetness soon carrying them beyond the reach of 
pursuit. But the aid of a dog, even a common cur, greatly diminishes the 
difficulty. Pursuit by an animal whose speed exceeds their own, seems to paralyze 
them ; they instantly betake themselves to a tree, whence they may be shot down 
vath facility, as their whole senses appear to be concentrated on one object — the 
barking cur beneath, regarding whom with attentive eyes and outstretched neck, 
they dare not quit their position of defence. Flight cannot be protracted by them, 
nor is it trusted to as a means of escape, save to the extent of gaining the eleva- 
tion of a tree ; the body is too heavy, the wings too short and hollow, and the 
sternal apparatus too weak, for flight to be any other than a painful and laborious 
performance. 
“The Guinea-fowl is sometimes caught by the following stratagem: — A small 
quantity of corn is steeped for a night in proof rum, and is then placed in a 
shallow vessel, with a little fresh rum, and the water expressed from a bitter 
cassava, grated : this is deposited within an enclosed ground, to which the 
depredators resort. A small quantity of the grated cassava is then strewn over it, 
c G 
