THE ARGUS PHEASANT, OR GIGANTIC ARGUS. 167 



short velvety feathers. The lower part of the 

 neck, breast, belly, and thighs, are reddish brown, 

 each feather regularly spotted with dull yellow and 

 jlack ; the upper part of the back, and lesser wing 

 coverts, are covered with large black spots, sepa- 

 rated by a narrow line of an ochreous tint ; the up- 

 per tail covers are of a clear ochreous yellow, with 

 brown spots ; the longest of a paler tint, with the 

 spots thicker than upon the back, and of a reddish 

 brown in the centre. The tail is of a deep chestnut, 

 sprinkled with white spots, surrounded with a black 

 ring. The wings, of which the secondaries are three 

 times the length of the quills, being about two feet 

 ten inches long, from their unwieldy size, almost en- 

 tirely deprive the bird of flight, but greatly accele- 

 rate its pace when running, and, acting as powerful 

 sails, furnish it with a mode, of transportation or 

 escape, possessing great fleetness. The power of 

 flying, however, adds M. Temminck, is not altoge- 

 ther denied to it; it sometimes rises from the ground, 

 but the flight is always heavy, and kept up only for 

 a short way, and upon these organs, and particularly 

 upon the secondaries, is lavished the greater part of 

 the beautiful adornment. When at rest, or not ex- 

 cited, these spots are hardly visible, but when in the 

 presence of his females, the wings are expanded and 

 trailed upon the ground, displaying their beauties as 

 the peacock exhibits his train, or the turkey his tail. 

 At this time the tail is comparatively spread, and is 

 raised erect. When it rests, it is carried in a line 



