246 Allen's naturalist's library. 



I heard the peculiar note, a sort of ^chukun, chiihm,' followed 

 by the whirring noise made by the male Fire-Back, and imme- 

 diately after saw a fine male Fire-Back run into the open space, 

 and begin to chase the Argus round and round its clearing. 

 The Argus seemed loath to quit its own domain, and yet not 

 willing to fight, but at last, being hard pressed, it ran into the 

 jungle. The Fire-Back did not attempt to follow, but took up 

 a position in the middle of the clearing, and recommenced the 

 whirring noise with his wings, evidently as a challenge, where- 

 upon the Argus slowly returned, but the moment it got within 

 the cleared space the Fire-Back charged it, and drove it back 

 into the jungle, and then, as before, took up his position in the 

 middle of the space and repeated the challenge. The Argus 

 immediately returned, but only to be again driven back, and 

 this continued at least a dozen times, and how much longer it 

 would have continued I cannot say, but a movement on my 

 part attracting the birds' attention, they caught sight of me, 

 and instantly, before I could fire, disappeared into the jungle. 

 The Argus never made the slightest attempt to attack the Fire- 

 Back, but retreated at once on the slightest movement of the 

 latter towards it, nor did I see the Fire-Back strike the Argus 

 with either bill, wings, or spurs." 



Nest. — Nothing is known of the nidification. 



Eggs. — An egg laid in confinement, in July, is pale brownish- 

 buff, like that of the Game-Fowl, but larger, with little or no 

 gloss, and covered with minute pores. 



II. THE BORNEAN CRESTED FIRE-BACK. LOPHURA IGNITA. 



Phasianus Ignitus, Shaw, Nat. Misc. ix. pi. 321 {c. 1787). 

 Gallus macartneyi, Temm. Pig. et. Gall. ii. p. 273 (1813); iii. 



p. 663 (1815). 

 Euplocomiis nobilis, Sclat. P. Z. S. 1863, p. 118, pi. xvl ; 



Elliot, Monogr. Phasian. ii. pi. 27 (1872). 

 Lophura ignita, Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 288 



(1S93). 



