GALLING. 2L'7 



Several wild species are also known, as that of Sonnerat (Gal. Sonneratii, Tern.), which is very remarkable for 

 the neck feathers of the male, the stems of which widen into three successive disks of a horny nature. The comb 

 of the same sex is dentelated. This species inhabits the Ghauts of Hindostan. 



M. Leschenhault has procured two others from Java : one (G. Bankiva, Tern.), with a dentelated crest like the 

 preceding; all the feathers of the neck long, pendent, and of the most beautiful golden red: it appears to 

 me to bear the greatest resemblance to our domestic races: the other (Ph. varitis, Shaw ; O./urcatus, Tern.), is 

 black, with a copper-green neck, speckled with black, its crest plain, and a kind of small dewlap instead of 

 wattles. 



The Pheasants, properly so called {Phasianus, Cuv.) — 



Have a long graduated tail, each of its quills being inclined on two planes, and covering each other. 



The most common of them (Ph. colchicus, Lin.), was brought from the banks of the Phasis by the Argonauts, 

 and is now diffused over all temperate Europe, where it requires, however, considerable care. [Another, from 

 China, with a white ring round the neck, and a greener general cast of colour, but otherwise closely allied, has 

 also been turned wild, and produced a prolific race of hybrids with the Common Pheasant, intermediate specimens 

 in every degree being not uncommon. The pure breed of Ph. colchicus is distinguished by the total absence of 

 the white ring, and reddish-copper tint of the croup, instead of greenish. 



China produces several other species, with most superb plumage, as 



The Golden Pheasant (Ph. pictus), and Amherst Pheasant (Ph. Amherstii), which have both a gorgeous ruff 

 round the neck, and the latter in particular an exceedingly long tail, the feathers widening in the middle. 



The Reeves's Pheasant (Ph. Reevesii), from the same country, is one of the most magnificent of birds. It is 

 half as large again as the common species, with a tail exceeding six feet in length. Ph. versicolor, and Ph. 

 Soemeringii, from Japan, are also truly splendid, and nearly allied to the common one. 



Others approximate the Common Fowl in their carriage, as the Silver Pheasant (Ph. nycthemerus), from China, 

 and the Lineated (Ph. lineatus), from the mountains of Thibet : both these have purple-black under-parts, 

 with the feathers above white and lineated ; a pendent crest on the head. Ph. albocristatus comes still nearer to 

 the Fowls, retaining the head only of the Pheasant group ; and Ph. pucrasia, is perhaps the dullest of the whole 

 genus, with a pointed short tail, but is otherwise allied to the ordinary species : the two last are from the Himma- 

 layas]. The females of all are sombre [that of Ph. Reevesii the least so, which is beautifully variegated with white 

 upon the neck,] and have shorter tails. 



We conceive that the description of the Phoenix, by Pliny, Gib. x. cap. 2), was drawn up from a specimen of the 

 Golden Pheasant. 



One of the most singular of all Birds is 



The Argus (Ph. argus, Lin). — A large Pheasant from the south of Asia, the head and neck of which are almost 

 naked. The tarsi are w ithout spurs ; a very long tail in the male ; the secondary quills of the w ing exces- 

 sively elongated, widened, and covered throughout their length with ocellated spots, which, when spread out, 

 impart an extraordinary aspect to the bird. It inhabits the mountains of Sumatra and some other countries of 

 the south-east of Asia, and constitutes the genus Argus of Temminck. 



The Macartneys {Euplocomus, Tem.), — 



With the naked cheeks common to this genus, have the vertical tail and arched coverts of the Cocks, 



together with erectible feathers on the head, which form a crest similar to that of the Peafowl. The 



projecting lower edge of the naked skin of their cheeks supplies the place of wattles. The tarsi are 



armed with strong spurs. 



We are acquainted with one only, from the Isles of Sunda (Phasianus ignitus, Shaw) ; size of a Cock, and bril- 

 liant black, with a golden-red rump, the upper tail-coverts yellowish or whitish, and the flanks spotted with white 

 or fulvous. Female brown, finely streaked with blackish above, and dashed with white beneath; crested like 

 the male. [The Ph. albocristatus might be placed with it.] 



The Tragopans (Tragopan, Cuv.) — 

 Are [with the exception of one species] remarkable for the singular adornment of the head, which is 

 almost naked, with a small slender horn [or erectible excrescence] behind each eye, and a wattle sus- 

 ceptible of inflation under the throat. There are short tarsal spurs in both sexes. 



[Four species are now known, all beautifully spotted with white, somewhat as in a Pintado, and in three of them 

 upon a gorgeous red ground-colour; the naked parts are also vividly tinted with rich blue and yellow. Female! 

 and young dull brown. They inhabit the Himmalaya range of mountains, and perch like Pheasants]. 



We should separate from the Pheasant group 



The Cryttonyx, Tem., — 

 Wherein the immediate circumference of the eye alone is naked, the tail is moderate and plain, and 

 the tarsi arc without spurs. Their most remarkable character, however, consists in the absence of the 

 hind-claw, 



u 2 



