N UMIDA PTYLORHYN CH A
N U M I D A P T I L O T M I Y N C I I A .
ABYSSINIAN Crl'INKA-l'OWL.
NUMIDA PTILORHYNCHA, Licht. Cat. Mus. Beri. (1854) p. 8§s—Rüpp. Syst. Verz. Vög. N.O.Afr. (-1845) p. 102, pl. 39.—Heugl. Syst.Ueb.
Vög. N. 0 . Afr. (1855) p. 50, no. 520.—Gray, List Gall-. (1867) p. 43—Id. Gen. of B. voll ^ pl. 128.—Less. Trait. d’Orn. (1831) p.. 498.
Sclat.Proc. Zool.Soc. (1863)p. 125,sp. 2.—Heugl.Ibis (1859), p. 343—Bon. Gompt. Rend. (1856) p. 876.—Hartl. & Finsch, Reis, in
Ost-Afrika, p. 570.—Blanf. Zool. Abyss. (1870) p. 421—Blyth, Joum. Asiat. Soc. Beng.vol.xxix. (1860) p, 386.—Gray, Hand-1. Birds,
pt.p^p. 263; nöV 9632..
H ab. Abyssinia:
T h is Guinea-fowDis the species commonly found in Abyssinia. It bears a considerable resemblance in its general plumage to the
other helmeted species, but may be recognized without difficulty by the blue colour of the naked portions of the face and
wattles. It is not unfrequently seen -in the aviaries o f the different Zoological Gardens among other species of the saine genus,
and is apparently as hardy, find becomes as reconciled to confinement, as Its relative the- Common Guinea-hen, So well known,
to every body.
Mr. Blanford, in his able and entertaining work on the Geology and Zoology of Abyssinia, gives tlie following account of
this species:-—“ The Abyssinian Guinea-fowl is found throughout the country, from the sea-eoast itself to an altitude of a t least
9000 feet. These birds keep much Jo craggy places, especially to rocky valleys, and often remain during the middle of the day
on the sides of the steep or precipitous hills. They feed either in open fields or In woods, amongst bushes &c., in the morning
and evening, and roost at night on high trees, a grove of lofty junipers being frequently selected for that purpose in the
highlands. Throughout the winter and spring, the Guinea-fowls remain in large flocks, usually of from 200 .to 300 birds each.
These subdivide into smaller flocks to seek food during the day, but keep to‘ one general tract of country, and unite again
at night. Where not pursued, they are not particularly wary, and but little difficulty is found in getting within gunshot; but
along the line of march of the British Army the Guinea-fowl soon became much more watchful, and in places around
became almost impossible, after a time, to get near Annesley Bay; where a t first many were killed, the birds, even in
cover.
“ In July and August the flocks divide into
season commences. At this time the birds neve:
of the roosting-places. I shot a female with is
about the end of August «^'¿beginning o f September, ■>
to that of the common tame Guinea-fowl. The food.
pairs, two dnSl three o f which are often found together, and the- bree(hng-
appear to collect into; large flocks; I . did not, however, happen to see any
fully fprmed egg on the 9th of August. The young are probably hatched
: they are full-grown by the end o f the year. The voice is very similar
appears to consist to a larger extent of seeds and fruits than amongst
the Partridges, insects being apparently but little sought after. In one instance three birds, shot one morning near Halai, had
been feeding chiefly upon thé small tubers or corms of the Quentee (Cyperus esculent¿usjïS/îjiTheir crops also contained seéds
and a few fragments of leaves, but amongst the three only one insect, an Hemipter. Their being so exclusively'graminivorous
is probably the cause o f the excellence of their flesh, which is far superior to that of most game-birds. As may be
imagined, they were much sought after by the sportsmen of the army ; and during the: stay' o f our small party in the
Anseba valley, we lived to no small extent upon these birds, as their flesh was as5 far shperior to that o f all other game,
except the Koodoo, as it was to that of the tough' goats which we could obtain, not without difficulty, from the villagers.”
This species may be described as follows :—
Head bare, with a small bony casque rising in the centre. At the base of the bill a tuft of stiff, upright, white bristles.
Space around the eyes and bare portion of neck and wattles light blue. Breast brown, crossed with fine black lines. Entire
upper paits greyish brown, thickly covered with round white spots, each spot encircled with black. Underparts similar to
the back, but the ground-colour darker. Bill black at base, horn-colour at tip. Legs and feet brownish black.
The figure is life-size.