'J44 GIGANTIC ARGUS. 



Argus giganteus. Temm. Gull. Ind. 678. 



Phasianus Argus. Linn. Syst. Nat. 1. 272. 4. Gmel. Syst. 



Nat. l. 742. Lath. Lid. Orn. 2. 62Q. 3. 

 L' Argus, ou Lucn. Bitjf. Ois. 2. 36l . Gent. Mag. 1768. pi. in 



p. 521. 



Argus Geant. Temm. Pig. et Gall. 2. 410. male. 4-27. female. 

 Argus Pheasant. Lath. Gen. Syn. 4. 710. 3. 



THE male of this rare but beautiful species 

 measures five feet six or eight inches from the 

 beak to the tip of the tail : its body is about the 

 size of that of the Gigantic Cock : the beak is 

 pale yellow : the fore-part of the head and the 

 beginning of the throat are covered with a gra- 

 nulated skin of a fine scarlet colour : the irides 

 are orange : round the eye the skin is dusky : the 

 forehead, the top of the head, and the occiput, 

 are adorned with small velvety plumes of a fine 

 changeable blue colour, forming a slight crest on 

 the hind head : the lower part of the neck, the 

 breast, the belly, and the thighs, are of a reddish 

 brown, each feather being irregularly spotted 

 with deep yellow and black : the top of the back 

 and the lesser wing-coverts with black spots, 

 edged with small stripes of ochrey yellow : part of 

 the back, the rump, and the upper tail-coverts, 

 are bright yellow-ochre, spotted with brown, re- 

 sembling the skin of the leopard : the wings, 

 which consist of very large feathers, are the most 

 remarkable part of the bird ; the primaries have 

 their shafts bluish, and the secondaries pure white ; 

 the ten first quills have their outer webs dull 

 white, sprinkled with black spots, surrounded by 



