Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-03-17
THE GUIaEA Fowl AS CANE.

There are numbers of guinea fowl wild
in the Island of Santo Domingo, and they
have been there beyond the memory of the
oldest inhabitant. They are very prolific.
| have often seen as many as fifteen in
brood. l think they hatch oftener than
once year at least, they hatch at any
and all seasons of the year. They are to
be found about the corn and rice fields, as
well as in the lopen savanna miles away
from any food, except such as is afforded by
the native grasses. Their crops often show
nothing but grass seed of different varie-
ties. They are an exceedingly shy bird,
difficult to approach, and wonderfully
strong and swift on the wing, as different
from the tame bird as wild hog is from
the domestic animal. On one occasion we
made camp late in the afternoon at cattle
station in the savanna, where the proprie-
tors came twice year to brand the calves
and select the beeves, stopping three or
four weeks each time. During the rest of
the year no one lived there Near sur.
down, attempted by the balmy atmosphere
and witching lights and shades, strolled
some distance from the camp, and saw a
very large covey of guineas. l promised
myself some sport in the morning, and was
up and way at the first break of day. After
time discovered at distance flock
of guineas feeding in portion of the sa.
wanna where the pine trees were three to
four rods apart, tall, straight and free from
limbs for long way from the ground, and
not brush beside. l endeavored to get
within gunshot by going from one tree to
another, keeping myself as much hidden
from sight as possible, at the same time
watching the birds closely, and on seeing
the least sign of apprehension, making
statue of myself. spent over an hour in
this way, the birds constantly feeding away
from me. Then l flushed them out of
range and they few for run that was
densely timbered. followed but failed to
get shot, and was forced to return to
camp without bird. do not think that
these birds had been shot at for months, if
at all. They are harder to get shot at
than the ruffed grouse, but are much easier
killed. With l6. bore 60 pound gun, | shot
one from the limb of a small pine tree at
distance of ffty-two long PAGES, striking
the bird with one shot in the body. 1t fell
Immediately to the ground and when /
picked it up, was dead. / have shot a
green parrot at so short range that four
shot passed through its body, and then l
had to resort to other means to kill it.
There were no bird dogs in Santo Domingo
at the time l was there. A friend had
mongrel shepherd that he thought very
good dog to hunt birds. tried him. He
would trail the guinea fowl. They would
allow him to come quite close, and then
take position in the nearest tree and watch
the dog think from their actions they
would lie pretty we'll to the proper kind of
dog. the wild guinea is similar in edible
qualities TO the ruffed grouse. Although /
have bagged great many, never saw a
very fat one. They were plump, juicy and
tender, and very fine flavor. / had the
best success in shooting them by scattering
flock just before roosting time. The fol.
lowing morning, being on the ground be-
fore daylight, when the calling would CON-
mence, the chances were favorable for
few flying shots.-[L. Kent, in Forest and
Stream