Meleagride, o Gallina di Guinea bianca... (White Guinea Hen)

Xaviero Manetti

From the portfolio "Ornithologia Methodice Digesta Atqua Iconibus Aeneis Ad Vivum Illuminantis Ornata 'Storia Naturale Degli Uccelli' "(The Natural Histroy of Birds). Plate 231.

According to S. Peter Dance: "The production of Manetti’s five massive folio volumes, Storia Naturale degli Uccelli, must have been one of the most remarkable publishing ventures ever undertaken in Florence.

Begun in 1767, and it was completed ten years later. It was larger, better engraved and more vividly coloured than any previous work on birds." S. Peter Dance, The Art of Natural History: Animal Illustrators and their Work. London: 1978.

Guinea fowl eggs are brown and half the size of chicken eggs. The young hatchlings are known as keets. Guineas are foragers and are extremely hardy. They live in flocks and sound alarms when predators are near. Females usually have smaller wattles but the only accurate way to sex guineas is to listen to their voice.