THE ARGUS PHEASANT. 313 



The train of the Peacock begins to grow about February, and is lost 

 again by August. 



The Burmese Peafowl occurs over the whole Province in suitable 

 localities. It is very capricious in its choice, being very abundant in 

 some spots and entirely absent from others which seem equally suited 

 to it. 



It extends north as far as Chittagong, east through Siam to Cochin 

 China (where Dr. Tiraud says that it is very abundant), and south down 

 the Malay peninsula, where Lieut. Kelham observed it at Perak. It 

 reappears in Java ; and it has been asserted that it occurs in Sumatra and 

 Borneo ; but probably this statement is incorrect. 



The Peafowl inhabits certain spots and tracts of jungle, which it seldom 

 leaves. Usually their haunts are in thick forest where there is a good 

 undergrowth of elephant-grass and abundance of water in the immediate 

 vicinity. Some years ago they were excessively abundant in the Thara- 

 waddy District, and (a very unusual thing with this shy bird) they used to 

 come in the early mornings onto my newly made road and strut about. 

 In Burmah it is almost impossible to shoot them in the daytime, owing to 

 their shyness, and the best way to secure a specimen is to get a native to 

 watch them going to roost, and then to proceed to the trees in the early 

 morning before sunrise; by this means one or two birds may be 

 obtained. The Peahen, the natives informed me, lays about March; I 

 have never been able to find a nest. 



P. nigripennis is allied to P. cristatus ; but its native habitat is unknown ; 

 it may be recognized by the scapulars and wing-coverts being black, 

 the feathers narrowly edged with green. 



Genus AKGUSIANUS, Safin. 



672. ARGUSIANUS ARGUS. 

 THE ARGUS PHEASANT. 



Phasianus argus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 272. Argusianus giganteus, Bl. B. Burm. 

 p. 148. Argus giganteus, Elliot, Mon. Phas. i. pi. 11 ; Hume Sf Dav. S. F. vi. 

 p. 427; If time, 6'. F. viii. p. 110; Hume fy Marsh. Game Birds, i. p. yy, pi. 

 Argusa giganteus, Kelham, His, 1881, p. 530. 



Description. The male of this magnificent species is not likely to be 

 confounded with any other Pheasant found in the Province or adjoining 

 regions. It may be recognized by its naked head, its enormous tail, the 



