^2 Allen's naturalist's library. 



Phasian. i. pi. 4 (1872)], but the figure supposed to represent 

 the female of the Black-Shouldered form is merely a pale 

 variety. Albinos and pale cream-coloured forms are occasion- 

 ally met with in a perfectly wild state, but the so-called Pavo 

 iiigripe?inis has at present only been observed among birds in 

 captivity. Sportsmen should look carefully at any male Pea- 

 Fowl they may chance to shoot from time to time, as it would 

 be extremely interesting to know if this form ever occurs among 

 wild Indian birds. 



Nest. — A hollow scratched by the hen in the ground and 

 lined with a few leaves and twigs among thick grass or dense 

 bushes. 



Eggs. — Ten to fifteen in number; broad ovals, varying in 

 colour from whitish to pale buff; shell smooth and strong, 

 pitted all over. Average measurements, 274 by 2*05 inches. 



n. THE BURMESE PEA-FOWL. PAVO MUTICUS, 



Pavo miiticus^ Linn. S. N. i. p. 268 (1766); Elliot, Monogr. 



Phasian. i. pi. 5 (1872); Hume and Marshall, Game Birds 



Ind. i. p. 94, pi. (1878) ; Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. 



xxii.p. 371 (1893). 

 Pavo spiciferus, Shaw and Nodder, Nat. Misc. xvi. pi. 641 ; 



Vieill. Gal. Ois. ii. p. 14, pi. 202 (1825). 

 Pavo javaiiicus, Horsf. Tr. Linn. Soc. xiii. p. 185 (1822). 

 Pavo aldrova7idi^ Wilson, 111. Zool. pis. xiv. and xv. (1831). 

 Pavo spicifer, Schinz, Nat. Vog. p. 150, pi. 73 (1853). 



Adult Male.-— Easily distinguished from the male of P. cristatus 

 by having the rather long erect crest of normally developed 

 feathers webbed to the base of the shaft ; the feathers of the 

 back copper-coloured, surrounded by golden-green and mar- 

 gined with black ; the wing-coverts and shoulder-feathers bhick. 

 glossed with purplish-blue and edged with green ; the thighs 

 black, glossed with green, and the naked skin round the eyes 

 bluish-green^ on the cheeks du-onie-yellow. Total length to end 



