366 DESCRIPTION OF THE MUSEUM. 



and near them several wild species from India 

 and the Moluccas. It cannot yet be decided from 

 which of them our common yard fowls have 

 sprung. The genus pheasant commences at the 

 bottom of this case, and presents ten species. 

 Among these we should notice the golden phea- 

 sant from China; its gold crest, its plumage, 

 enamelled with the most brilliant colours, and its 

 elegant shape make it esteemed as the most beau- 

 tiful of the gallinaceae : to this bird we may refer 

 Pliny's description of the phoenix. 



In the following case is a superb bird from 

 Sumatra ; its size is nearly that of a common 

 cock, but its wings are extremely large ; it is 

 called the argus pheasant from the number of 

 eyes on its wings and tail. It does not excite ad- 

 miration from the brilliancy of its colours, but 

 from the regular distribution of the circles on 

 each plume and the delicate gradation of the 

 tints. The Museum had only three feathers of 

 this bird at the Hme of Buffon ; it now possesses 

 six individuals sent from Sumatra by MM. Diard 

 and Duvaucel, four males and two females ; the 

 plumage of the latter is in nowise remarkable. 

 Below the argus is the impeyan pheasant (pha- 

 sianus impeyanus], which has a very elegant 

 crest, and whose plumage presents the brilliant 

 colours of gold, malachite or lapislazuli, accord- 



