490 



THE DESCENT OF MAN. 



of the former and the simpler ocelli or mere colored spots 

 on other birds; and so with all the other characters of the 

 peacock. Let us look to the allied Gallinaceae for any still- 

 existing gradations. The species and sub-species of Poly- 

 plectron inhabit countries adjacent to the native land of the 

 peacock; and they so far resemble this bird that they are 

 sometimes called peacock-pheasants. I am also informed 



Fig. 54. Feather of peacock, about two-thirds of natural size, drawn by Mr. 

 Ford. The transparent zone is represented by the outermost white zone, 

 confined to the upper end of the disk. 



by Mr. Bartlett that they resemble the peacock in their 

 voice and in some of their habits. During the spring the 

 males, as previously described, strut about before the com- 

 paratively plain-colored females, expanding and erecting 

 their tail and wing feathers, which are ornamented with 

 numerous ocelli. I request tlie reader to turn back to the 

 drawing (fig. 51) of a Polyplectron. In P. napoleonis 

 the ocelli are confined to the tail, and the back is of a rich 



