These
birds have thick and strong yet sharp bills, pretty long claws, and short
tails. They feed on the ground, either on worms, which they find by
tearing open the earth; or on grasshoppers, which are plentiful here. The
feathers of these birds are speckled with dark and light grey; the spots
so regular and uniform that they look more beautiful than many birds that
are decked with gayer feathers. Their necks are small and long; their
heads also but little. The cocks have a small rising on their crowns,
like a sort of a comb. It is of the colour of a dry walnut shell, and
very hard. They have a small red gill on each side of their heads, like
ears, strutting out downwards; but the hens have none. They are so strong
that one cannot hold them; and very hardy. They are very good meat,
tender, and sweet; and in some the flesh is extraordinary white; though
some others have black flesh: but both sorts are very good. The natives
take them with dogs, running them down whenever they please; for here are
abundance of them. You shall see 2 or 300 in a company. I had several
brought aboard alive, where they throve very well; some of them 16 or 18
months; when they began to pine.
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