Note 92 — Chapter XV

Guinea-birds being much prized in such of the islands as possess but little game, many are reared at the farms of the planters. The negroes dig up ants’ nests, which are disagreeably numerous, and on bringing one into the yard, dash it violently upon the ground, when the chicks eagerly scramble for the contents,—the insects and the eggs. By-the-bye, much is said about the difficulty of taking eggs from Guinea-birds without making them abandon their nests. The would-be purloiner, in answer to his inquiries, is often recommended to keep as far as possible from the nest; and, that it may in no way be contaminated by his touch, to remove the eggs during the absence of the birds with an iron or silver spoon, having a long stick attached to it as a handle;—but it is seldom told him,—and therein lies the real secret,—that, in addition to such precautions, he never ought to rob a nest without leaving at the least three eggs. It is surprising how many may in this way be taken. I know of a single pair of guinea-birds being thus robbed in one spring of no less than eighty-four.

Having got into a Creole’s poultry-yard, I am unwilling to quit it without observing, that few better birds are reared than his cross between common ducks and a Muscovy drake. It is found necessary carefully to guard against the ungainly gentleman’s having any rival of the ordinary breed in the neighbourhood, for if the opportunity were afforded them, the ladies would to a certainty forsake their cumbrous lord for the more active commoner. Although the true Muscovy is very coarse eating, the Hybrid is as much an improvement upon the flavour as it is upon the size of the common duck. I have known the birds to be reared in this country, and often wondered that the plan was not more generally pursued.