PAVO. 49 



Family .—phasi ANID.E. 



Bill moderate, strong, vaulted, the tip of the upper mandible hooked over 

 the lower; nostrils apert. Wings moderate or short; tail of from 12 to 18 

 feathers, long and broad ; tarsus moderate or long, spurred in the males ; 

 toes long ; hind toe raised. This family includes the Peafowls, also the Jungle 

 and Spur fowls and Pheasants. Wherever the different species are found, 

 they are sought for eagerly by all sportsmen, especially the Phasianincc, first, 

 owing to the brilliancy of their plumage, and next because they may be said 

 to be the mainstay of one's larder in the hills. As flesh food, even the 

 PavonincB are excellent eating, and may be compared to an English pheasant. 

 Whether Monaal, the Kalijes, Silver Pheasants, Koklass, or Fireback, all can 

 be kept hung up in the larder, for often more than a week, during the time of 

 the year they are permitted to be bagged as game. 



Sub - Family— PA VONIN^— Peafowl. 



Plumage brilliant green, shot with gold, and ocellated. 



62. PavO cristatUS, Zz««., Syst. Nat. i. p. 267 ; Elliot, lion. 

 Thas. i. pi. V. ; Jerd., B. Ltd. iii. p. 506 ; Hume and Marsh., Game Birds 

 p. 83; Murray, Vert. ZooL, Si'nd, p. 212; id., Avif. Brit. Iftd.W.^). 529, 

 No. 1 186. — The Common Peacock. 



Crest with bare shafts, except at the tip. Whole head, neck, and breast rich 

 purplish blue with gold and green reflections ; scapulars, tertiaries and lesser 

 wing coverts rufescent, barred with black ; facial skin greyish white ; back green, 

 the feathers scale-like in appearance with coppery edges ; median coverts deep 

 blue ; primaries and tail chestnut ; abdomen and under surface black ; train 

 green, ocellated. Bill horny brown ; irides dark brown. 



Length, — Without train, 42 to 48 inches ; with train, more than double the 

 length of head to true tail ; wing 18. 



The pea hen is chestnut brown on the head and nape ; neck greenish, edged 

 with whitish brown ; upper surface of the body hair brown with undulations ; 

 quills brown ; tail deep brown, tipped with white ; chin and throat white ; breast 

 greenish, like the neck ; abdomen white ; under tail coverts brown. 



Length. — 38 to 40 inches; wing 16; tail 14. Crest feathers with bare 

 shafts except at the tip. 



Hab. — Throughout India proper, extending into Ceylon and Assam. This 

 lovely bird is so well known that any account of its habits would be superfluous. 

 They generally roost at night on high trees, seldom, if ever, on the ground, 

 except perhaps when disturbed at night and are forced to fly down. They 

 pair in the early part of the hot weather, when the peacock has then his full 

 train of upper tail coverts to display to his wives. They lay in July and August. 

 Eggs, pure white, a rich cafe an lait or reddish buff, with strong glossy shells 

 pitted all over with minute pores. Size 2*55 to 3 X 1-92 to 2-2 inches. 



7 B 



