INDIAN PHEASANT. 



PLATE XVI. THE INDIAN PHEASANT. 



FEATHERS of the neck linear, elongate, spotted with 

 white, black and fulvous, tips membranaceous ; throat, 

 breast, beUy, back, and wing-coverts griseous, lineated 

 with white ; quills of tail and wings black. Wild Cock. 



This magnificent species of pheasant, commonly named 

 the jungle cock, is a native of India, where it occurs in 

 great plenty in woods and forests. 



It is generally admitted to be the stock from whence all 

 our domestic fowls have originated ; but as this opinion is 

 no where supported by evidence, and as change of climate 

 has not been proved to cause such material differences as 

 are found between this species and the numerous domes- 

 tic varieties, I cannot but dissent from the generally 

 received opinion. 



ALLIGATOR. 



PLATE XVII. THE ALLIGATOR. 



THE alligator is a genus of aquatic Saurian reptiles, of 

 large size, formidable structure, and voracious habits. 

 There is not much difference between the crocodiles of the 

 eastern world and the alligators of the western, neither is 

 there much difference in the signification of the two names. 

 The crocodile was named by the Greeks after a yc.j'^w 

 lizard, the exact species is not known, from the feet of 

 which there exuded a liquor of a musky scent ; and the 

 alligator is only a corruption of the Portuguese words for 

 lizard, and was by them applied to the crocodiles of west- 



