PHASIANIDAE 207 



ou its elongated train of erectile tail-coverts ; but other striking 

 points are the bare-shafted crest and naked white face ; while the 

 comparatively dull-coloured Pea-hen lacks the train of the male and 

 the spur on each metatarsus. In the wild state these birds are shy, 

 and run particidarly fast, while they occasionally fly in small 

 flocks ; they inhabit the hill-forests or ravines near water-courses 

 in India and Ceylon, roosting in large trees, making a slight 

 nest on the ground, ruined buildings, or more rarely branches, 

 and laying from four to about ten yellowish or reddish eggs, 

 sometimes faintly spotted with rufous. The cry is a harsh mew- 

 ing squeal, or a " cok-cok-cok " when flushed ; the food resemljles 

 that of the Turkey, but is at times varied by fish or flesh ; and, 

 as in that bird, the males are said to dance or strut around when 

 courting, each securing three or four consorts. Peafowl are sup- 

 posed to indicate the proximity of tigers, and are sacred to 

 various Indian castes, while foolish superstition considers the 

 " eyed " feathers unlucky ! Introduced to England at some veiy 

 early date, they were formerly thought a great delicacy for the 

 table. P. nigripennis, the " Japanned Peacock," is a species, or 

 perhaps variety, with deep blue wing-coverts and other slighter 

 differences, the female being almost entirely greyish-wliite ; P. 

 muticus, a valid species from the Indo-Chinese countries and Java, is 

 distinguished by the golden-green neck and chest and the blue and 

 yellow skin of the face ; the crest feathers being here fully webbed. 

 Argusianus argus, the Argus Pheasant, has a short black 

 crest ; black, rufous, and buff plumage with white barring on the 

 nape and tail-coverts ; and enormously developed secondaries and 

 median rectrices, covered respectively with large reddish-yellow 

 and small white ocelli, which are margined with black ; the 

 naked cheeks and throat are blue, the bill is bluish-white, the 

 feet are red. It inhabits the forests of the Indo-Malay mainland 

 and Sumatra, the cock being said only to meet the hens occasion- 

 ally, and to reserve an open spot for courting purposes, where 

 he shows himself ofl' by dancing before them with the tail and 

 secondaries expanded into a large fan. This bird flies little, but 

 runs with celerity, having a loud cry, feeding on vegetable 

 matter and insects, nesting like the Pea-fowl, and laying similar 

 eggs. A. grayi of Borneo shows white on the mantle and much 

 red on the breast, A. hijmnctatiis is only known from an imperfect 

 primary. The females lack the ocelli and elongated tail. A. 



