Hf l ÿ l IDA MELBÀGKIS' .
» little fresh riiureaud the water expressed from a bitte&cassava grated j this is deposited within an enclosed ground, to which
tliq depredators resort. A ' small quantity of the grated cassava is then strewn over and. d i h e ^ f o ^ p e a p | | j l
medicated food eagerly, and are soon found reeling about roiogcated, unable to escapd’and content with thrusting the head into
a comer. Frequently a large part ogjflie dock are found dead in high request for th e j
table, thé Gninea-fowl sometimes acquires an insnfferably rank odour, frmn feeding/ bn the foetid Peliee rk alSaçea, and > V 4 p i;
unedtable, The e g g s ilje deposited in the midst S a dense tussock o f grass, to * h e am o u n t'o f a dozen or j jo r e , It is .said
that occasionally the number is greatly higher, and that they are laid stratum mpar,stratum with leaves between., I f this is -
true, probably more than one hen partic ip a ted id itb e maternity. The wild bird’s.¡egj: measures l i | g IS, idch, and weighs 8 dr.
In the ‘ Proceedings of thé Zoological Society.’ .Tor; I.S36, Ogilby describes a (iuinea.fowl from the west cOast; of Africa as
distinct from the present spsç%,î imd calls it N . iUudatlii. I tjg a s afterwards figured by Fraser in th e < Z o o lo g f c |§ n |g I h | g |
specimens from 'Gambia, i t a e locality where this supposed new form li^d ti occur. iJ g iC - wall dm exception of its being rather
smaller, I cannot discern ady differences to c â | f | :- iW i b e separated i n distinct species. I t can only, he re g a rd e d® a small
race of N. tneleagris.
The species may be described as follows:—• _ _ .
General colour of the upper parts brownish, spotted with white, these margined with blâclc. Underparts black, with white spots,
these larger than those on the back; primaries brownish black, spotted in like manner. Upper parts of breast and back brown, with
a lilac lustre, unspotted: Bare skin of neck bluish ; wattles red, no white as in the domesticated bird. Top o f head covered
by a bony casque which varies in size among different individuals. Bill and feet black.
The Plate represents an adult, of the natural size, with a female and young in the distance*