PEASEWEEPPECTINEAL PROCESS 701 



one day throw on the question of evolution as exhibited in the 

 origin of "species." It should be stated that the "japanned" bird 

 is not known to exist anywhere as a wild race. 



The Peafowls belong to the Gallinaz, from the normal members 

 of which they do not materially differ in structure ; and, though 

 by some systematists they are raised to the rank of a Family, 

 Pavonidte, most are content to regard them as a subfamily of 

 Phasianidse (PHEASANT). 1 Akin to the genus Pavo is Polyplectrum, 

 of which the males are armed with two or more spurs on each leg, 



POLYPLECTRUM. ARGUS-PHEASANT. 



(After Swainson.) 



and near them is generally placed the genus Argusianus, containing 

 the ARGUS-Pheasants, remarkable for their wonderfully ocellated 

 plumage, and the extraordinary length of the secondary quills of 

 their wings, as well as of the tail-feathers. It must always be re- 

 membered that the so-called " tail " of the Peacock is formed not 

 by the rectrices or true tail-feathers, but by the singular develop- 

 ment of the tail-coverts, a fact of which any one may be satisfied 

 by looking at the bird when these magnificent plumes are erected 

 and expanded in disk-like form, as is his habit when displaying his 

 beauty to his mates. 



PEASEWEEP (spelling uncertain), the Scottish form of PEWIT, 

 but applied to the LAPWING only. 



PEC TEN, a fan-like lamella which projects into the posterior 

 chamber of the EYE, near the entrance of the optic nerve, and is 

 found in all Birds except Apteryx. 



PECTINEAL PROCESS (so called from the attachment to it of 

 the Pectineal muscle), a process, near the anterior margin of the 

 acetabulum (see ODONTORNITHES, fig. 4 a, page 650), and is in Birds 

 formed by the os pubis alone, by the os pubis and ilium jointly, or 

 occasionally by the ilium alone. When formed wholly by the pubic 

 bone and well developed, as in Apteryx and Centrococcyx, it strongly 

 resembles the so-called "prepubis" of Dinosaurs and other 

 Keptiles. 



1 As Mr. Elliot does in his magnificent Monograph of the Phasianidae. 



