SCRATCHING BIKDS. 



169 



than in any other birds of this family, are loose folds of 

 skin well supplied with blood-vessels. These become 

 redder and fuller when the Turkey is excited, just as the 

 cheeks of man are reddened in blushing. The true Pheas- 

 ants are allied to the Fowls. They are found wild in va- 

 rious parts of Asia. The most splendid species is the 

 Pheasant, Fig. 137, a native of Sumatra, Malacca, 



and the southeast 

 part of Asia. The 

 beautiful eye -spots 

 on its plumage sug- 

 gested the name of 

 A r g u s, the s h e p- 

 herd, who, with his 

 hundred eyes, was 

 set by Juno to 

 watch lo. 



27V. The Grouse 

 family is diffused 

 over the northeru 

 ;\ parts of America, 

 [\ Europe, and Asia. 

 They differ from the 

 Pheasants in having 

 no naked crests or 

 wattles, and in the 

 absence of brilliant 

 colors in the plu- 

 mage. They vary 

 much in size, the 

 Partridges and 

 Quails being birds 

 of moderate size, while the Cock of the Wood in Europe, 

 and the Cock of the Plains in this country, are nearly as 

 large as the Turkey. The California Quail is a beautiful 

 bird, having a delicate crest of a dark color, which it can 

 erect or depress at pleasure. The Ptarmigans are an in- 



Fig. 137. Argus Pheasant. 



