PEASEWEEP—PECTINEAL PROCESS 7O1 
one day throw on the question of evolution as exhibited in the 
origin of “species.” It should be stated that the “japanned” bird 
is not known to exist anywhere as a wild race. 
The Peafowls belong to the Gallinx, from the normal members 
of which they do not materially differ in structure; and, though 
by some systematists they are raised to the rank of a Family, 
Pavonidx, most are content to regard them as a subfamily of 
Phasiamdx (PHEASANT).! Akin to the genus Pavo is Polyplectrum, 
of which the males are armed with two or more spurs on each leg, 
POLYPLECTRUM. ARGUS-PHEASANT, 
(After Swainson.) 
and near them is generally placed the genus Argusianus, containing 
the ArGus-Pheasants, remarkable for their wonderfully ocellated 
plumage, and the extraordinary length of the secondary quills of 
their wings, as well as of the tail-feathers. It must always be re- 
membered that the so-called “tail” of the Peacock is formed not 
by the rectrices or true tail-feathers, but by the singular develop- 
ment of the tail-coverts, a fact of which any one may be satisfied 
. by looking at the bird when these magnificent plumes are erected 
and expanded in disk-like form, as is his habit when displaying his 
beauty to his mates. 
PEASEWEEP (spelling uncertain), the Scottish form of PEWIT, 
but applied to the LAPWING only. 
PECTEN, a fan-like lamella which projects into the posterior 
chamber of the Eyk, near the entrance of the optic nerve, and is 
found in all Birds except Apteryz. 
PECTINEAL PROCESS (so called from the attachment to it of 
the Pectineal muscle), a process, near the anterior margin of the 
acetabulum (see ODONTORNITHES, fig. 4 a, page 650), and is in Birds 
formed by the os pubis alone, by the os pubis and ilium jointly, or 
occasionally by the ilium alone. When formed wholly by the pubic 
bone and well developed, as in Apteryx and Centrococcyz, it strongly 
resembles the so-called ‘“prepubis” of Dinosaurs and _ other 
Reptiles. 
1 As Mr, Elliot does in his magnificent Monograph of the Phasianide, 
