GUINEA FOWL 424 QUISE They were, however, first regularly visited by merchant adventurers from Rouen and Dieppe from 1364 onward, but not colonized till the end of the 15th century, when the Portuguese, under the enterprising Prince Henry the Naviga- tor, sent out, in 1481, the first colonies to this part of the world. GUINEA FOWL, a genus of African birds in the pheasant family. The plumage is dark gray, with round spots of white, generally larger on the back and under the surface. Some sj>ecies are adorned on the head with a helmet or horny casque, while others have fleshy wattles on the cheeks and a tuft or top-knot on the crown. The genus is represented by nine species, in the Ethiopian region — E. to Madagascar, S. to Natal. The best known is the com- mon guinea fowl or pintado (N. rnelea- gris) , also popularly known as "Come- back," from its cry, with naked head, and slate-colored plumage, everywhere speckled with round white spots of vari- ous sizes. It is common in Guinea and S. to the Cape of Good Hope. It is found also in more N. parts of Africa, and was known to the ancient Romans, by whom it was called Meleagris and Gallina Numidica, and highly prized. In their wild state the birds occur in flocks, sometimes of 50 to 60. They are not so polygamous as many of the gallinaceous birds, and even in domestication show a tendency to pair. The guinea fowl is now common in the poultry yards of most parts of the world. GUINEA, GULF OF, that portion of the Atlantic which washes the shores of Upper Guinea, between Cape Palmas and Cape Lopez, and including the bights of Bein and Biafra. The isl- ands of Fernando Po, Prince's, and St. Thomas are within this gulf. GUINEA PIG, the common name of the genus Cavia, family Hystricidse. The common guinea pig, C. cobaia, is indig- enous to South America, but is now found domesticated in all parts of the world. It has ears large and broad, the upper lip divided in two, the hair or fur erect, and somewhat resembling that of a pig. Its color is generally white, with black spots, although this is somewhat variegated by orange blotches on the coat. It has five toes on the fore legs, and three on the hind ones and has no tail. In their habits guinea pigs are extremely neat. GUINEGATE (gen-gaf) , a village of Hainault, Belgium; the scene of two French defeats. On Aug. 17, 1479, they were beaten by Maximilian L ^^ Aus- tria; and on Aug. 16, 1513, by Henry VIII. and the Emperor Maximilian. This battle was called the Battle of the Spurs, the French knights having made more use of their spurs than of their swords. GUINES (gen), formerly GUISNES, a small town in France, 8 miles S. of Calais; the scene of "the Field of the Cloth of Gold." GUINEY, LOUISE IMOGEN (gl' ni), an American poet; born in Boston, Jan. 7, 1861. Among her volumes of verse may be mentioned: "Verse"; "Songs at the Start"; "A Roadside Harp"; "Martyr's Idyl"; etc. She has also published: "Goose-Quill Papers"; "Brownies and Bogles"; "Monsieur Henri"; "A Little English Gallery"; "Lovers' Saint Ruths"; "Patrins"; "The Secret of Fougereuse"; "Hurrell Froude" (1904) "The Blessed Edmund Campion" (1908), etc. She died in 1920. GUISBOROUGH (giz'bur-o), a town of the North Riding of Yorkshire, Eng- land, at the foot of the Cleveland Hills, in the midst of the iron mining district, 9 miles E. S. E. of Middlesborough. The earliest alum works in England were established here about the year 1600. Here too are the remains of a priory built in 1119 by Robert de Brus, and at the time of the Reformation one of the wealthiest monastic institutions in the kingdom. GUISCARD, ROBERT (ges-kar'), Duke of Apulia and Calabria; born near Coutances, Normandy, about 1015; won great renown in south Italy as a soldier, and after the death of William and Hum- phrey was proclaimed Count of Apulia. Guiscard next captured Reggio and Co- senza (1060), and thus conquered Cala- bria, in the possession of which he was confirmed by Pope Nicholas II. Robert now became the Pope's champion, and along with his younger brother Roger waged incessant war against Greeks and Saracens in south Italy and Sicily, both of which gradually fell under their arms, the latter being, however, given to Roger as count. The closing years of his life were occupied in fighting against Alexius Comnenus, who had deposed Michael VII. from the throne of Con- stantinople. He died in Cephalonia, July 17, 1085. GUISE (giiez), a town of the depart- ment of Aisne, France, on the Oise, 25 miles E. N. E. of St. Quentin. Within the town are the ruins of a castle, from which the famous Dukes of Guise de- rived their title. The iron works are
