146 A HISTORY OF BIRDS 



While the bird is at rest there is little or no evidence of 

 this beauty ; it appears to be remarkable only on account of 

 the great length of the wing and tail feathers. But during the 

 courting season the utmost seems to be made of this wonderful 

 livery. 



A great deal, however, is yet to be discovered with regard 

 to the habits of this bird at this time. It would seem, from the 

 observations of the late Mr. W. R. Davidson, that the Argus 

 Pheasant leads a very solitary life, the sexes living apart. 

 During the breeding season the male appears to choose some 

 open, level spot in the depths of the forests — which this bird 

 never leaves — from which he clears all the dead leaves and 

 weeds for a space of some six or eight yards square, until 

 nothing but the bare clean earth remains, and thereafter he 

 keeps this area scrupulously clean, removing every dead leaf 

 and twig that may drop from the trees above. Here, in solitary 

 state, this gorgeous creature spends his days, calling at short 

 intervals "how-how, how, how, how," and this note is repeated 

 some ten or a dozen times. It is an intensely penetrating call, 

 and is repeated apparently until answered by the female who 

 calls "howowoo, how-owoo," the last syllable much prolonged. 

 This call, as in the case of the male, is repeated many times, 

 ending in a series of " owoos " run together ! But in this way 

 the sexes discover the whereabouts of one another ; and the 

 female apparently comes to the call of the male, and ultimately 

 enters his " parlour," as the cleared space is called. Once in, it 

 would seem, she is entertained by a very remarkable perform- 

 ance, which has been graphically described by Darwin. 



Having obtained an audience, it appears the bird erects his 

 tail and expands his huge wing feathers "into a great, almost 

 upright, circular fan or shield, which is carried in front of the 

 body. The neck and head are held on one side so that they 

 are concealed by the fan ; but the bird, in order to see the 

 female before whom he is displaying himself, sometimes pushes 

 his head between two of the long wing feathers . . . and then 

 presents a grotesque appearance. This must be a frequent 

 habit with the bird in a state of nature, for ... on examining 

 some perfect skins sent from the East, [there was] found a place 

 between two of the feathers which was much frayed, as if the 

 head had here frequently been pushed through." 



