156 THE POLYPLECTRON. 



never erected, like that of the two preceding genera, 

 but is capable of a very wide expansion. It has also 

 what its describers term the upper range of feathers. 

 These cover the first half of the tail ; and if the lower 

 range or true tail were removed, the upper would 

 appear to an unaccustomed observer to be perfect, 

 and the only feathers belonging to this organ. An- 

 other singularity is in the tarsi being generally fur- 

 nished with two spurs upon each, sometimes three, 

 and, in a few instances, three on one leg, and two 

 only on that opposite. The cheeks are covered with 

 feathers, and the whole plumage is perfectly different 

 in structure from that of the true peacocks. The 

 fourth species (Plate VII.) varies in the form of the 

 tail, which becomes much more lengthened, the 

 shape of the feathers resembling somewhat those of 

 the next genus to be described. We shall first no- 

 tice that which seems to have been the species first 

 known, or brought to Europe ; it is the 



ARGUS POLYPLECTRON. 



Potyplectron bicalcaratum TEMMINC K. 



Pavo bicalcaratus, Linnaeus^ Gmelin. Polyplectron bical- 

 caratum, Eperonnier argus, Temminck. Le Paon de Ma- 

 lacca, Sonnerat. 



It is evident from the characters given by Gmelin, 

 that two species of this genus were known, the species 



