MD.K 



PAVONIO.E. 



). BUI moderate, slender, straight, compressed, 

 the baa* covered with f<-ather, convex above, where it is rather thick ; 

 orbits and part of the checks naked ; nostrils later*!, placed towards 

 tb iniddle of the bill, and hlf-clo*ed by a membrane. Two spurs on 

 the feet ; tani long and *lvnder, the hind toe not touching the ground. 

 Tail-feathers long and rounded, the fifth and sixth longest 



This beautiful form was raised to the rank of a genus by M. Tern- 

 miaek, who eaUhlisned it upon the bird which was named Pavo 

 fibtaxiu by Brusoo, the Chinese Peacock-Pheasant by Edwards, 

 Pmr Heulemrthu by Linnsnia, and L'Eperronier by Buffon. Cuvier 

 placed it among the Peacocks, properly so called, but other species 

 have been sine* discovered, which, throwing further light upon the 

 samUflcattnus of form, wall jiutify its genuine separation. It is the 

 Difltttrt* of VicOlot. 



>.& . Hale. Length about 1 9 inches. Forehead and crown 



ornamented with a crest of long, narrow, loose feathers, which, 

 together with the plumage of the neck and breast, are rich bluish- 

 black with metallic reflection*. Above the eyes a large pure white 

 shining stripe, and a patch of the same colour upon the ear-feathers. 

 Back sod rump brown, with irregular paler waved bands. Belly and 

 vent deep black. Wing-coverts and secondaries brilliant blue, each 

 feather tipped with velvety-black. Tail rather long, much rounded, 

 brown, thickly spotted with ochraceous-white, and distinguished by 

 large ooeUated oval spots of a brilliant metallic-green. Towards the 

 end of each feather there is a blackish bar. This beautiful and ample 

 tail U supposed not to be erectile, but to be capable of very wide 

 expansion. This is the Kperonnier a Toupet of il. Temminck ; the 

 Crested Polyplectron. Probably inhabits Sunda and the Molucca Isles. 







prV 



J^ 



-t-. ' %.. i^ 



Cretd Polvplectron (rotypMron fmphanum). 



P. TV&rfamwt. This U the Pavo Tibdaniu of Brison and Omelin, 

 the Cbinquls of Buffon, the Thibet Peacock of Latham, the Peacock 











Tiki 



Pheasant of Edwards, and the Eperronler Cblnquis, Polyplectron 

 Cbinquis of Temminck. 



It is supposed to be a native of the mountain chain which separates 

 Hindustan from Tibet 



In the I'olyj.ltctrvn Chalcurum the plumage is comparatively sombre. 

 The occlUted spots on the wings and tail are absent, and the latter, 

 instead of being rounded, has a more elongated pbeatant-like form, 

 approaching to that of A rgia. 



The beautiful birds above briefly noticed, and inhabiting the Indian 

 Islands or China, are described as being almost as hardy as the 

 Peacock, and there is little doubt that they might be domesticated in 

 this country. The Tibetian Polyplectron is procured for the aviaries 

 of the wealthy Chinese, and M. Temminck's drawing was taken from 

 a bird that had lived for five or six years in an aviary at the Hague. 



Dr. J. E. Gray (' Illustrations of Indian Zoology') has figured two 

 other species, Polyplectron JJardwickii, nearly allied to P. bicalcaralum, 

 and P. litKtttum, which appears to Sir W. Jardine to be the young of 

 some other species ; there are, ho observes, no spur* on the tarsi. Dr. 

 Gray's figures' were token from General Hardwicke's drawings by 

 native artists. 



Argtu (Temm.). Bill compressed, straight except at the extremity, 

 where it is curved, vaulted, and naked at its base ; nostrils placed in 

 the middle of the upper mandible, half-closed; head, cheeks, and 

 neck, naked. Tarsi long, slender, spurless. Two middle tail-feathers 

 longest, secondary quills much more developed than the primaries. 



Head of Argui. 



The only species known U Argui gigan/cu*. 



This bird is remarkable for the beauty of its plumage. The win 

 the secondaries of which are three times as long as the primary qui 

 are painted and ocellated in a manner that defies description. A vi 

 faint idea of the pattern of one of these secondaries may be deriv 

 from the accompanying cut. 



Secondary quill of Aryvi fifantetu, 



This bird is the beautiful Chinese Pheasant described in ' Phil. 

 Trans.,' voL 55, p. 88 ; L' Argus ou Luen of Buffon ; Argus Pheasant, 

 Pharitmiu Argui of Latham ; L' Argus, Argui giyanlau of Temminck. 



The unwieldy size of the secondaries forms an impediment to the 

 bird in its progress through the air, but they assist its pace when 

 running, which it does swiftly with their aid. Its flight, when it does 

 rise on the wing, is heavy and abort. When the bird is at rest or 

 unexcited, the beauty spots on the secondaries are hardly visible; but 

 whan showing himself off in the presence of his females, the wings 

 of the Argui are expanded, and trailed upon the ground to display 

 their beauties ; and at this time the tail in comparatively spread, and 

 is railed erect ; when at rest it is carried iu a line with the body, and 



