208 GALLIFORMES 



CHAP. 



(Rheinardtius) ocellatus, of the Tonkin highlands, is brown with 

 reddish markings and minute white dots ; it has a hairy occipital 

 crest, and exhibits fine red spots, with black white-eyed central 

 rings, on the very long median rectrices and their upper coverts. 



In Polyplectron (Peacock-Pheasant) the male has two or even 

 three spurs on the metatarsus. P. chinquis of the Indo-Chinese 

 countries is brown, with whitish dots above and mottlings below ; 

 the head is black and white with naked yellowish sides; the 

 upper plumage is adorned with large, round, metallic, purple- 

 green ocelli, ringed successively with black, brown, and buff, of 

 which the tail and its upper-coverts exhibit one on each web. 

 P. germaini of Cochin China has close-set light brown specks 

 above, and a red face ; P. licalcaratum of the Malay Peninsula and 

 Sumatra has the latter similarly coloured, with black and buff 

 upper surface, a narrow purplish crest, and lateral rectrices with 

 an "eye" only on the outer web; P. schleiermacheri of Borneo 

 has the crest curled forward, and blackish under parts with a 

 white median band ; whereas P. nehrkornae of Palawan, and the 

 doubtfully distinct P. napoleonis, are entirely black below. As re- 

 gards the duller females, P. chinquis and P. germaini have obscure 

 ocelli on both webs of the lateral tail-feathers, the other species on 

 the outer web only ; moreover, P. chinquis, P. schleiermacheri, and 

 P. nehrkornae have none on the tail-coverts, the latter lacking 

 the black blotches on the mantle found in P. licalcaratum and 

 P. schleiermacheri. P. (Chalcurus) inocellatus of Sumatra is 

 brown and buff, with purple and black tints on the tail. Little is 

 known of the habits, except in P. chinquis, which is apparently 

 monogamous, and frequents thick hill-forests up to an altitude of 

 five thousand feet. It feeds like the Peafowl, has a fine whistling 

 call varied by a soft cluck, and will take refuge in trees, though 

 preferring to escape on foot. The cock carries his outspread tail 

 on one side, while the hen uses hers to shelter the young. The 

 fairly substantial nest of twigs and leaves, usually containing two 

 brownish eggs, is placed on the ground. 



Of the four species of Gallus, G. ferrugineus (larikiva), the Eed 

 Jungle-fowl Bhund Moorg of the natives of India shewing 

 much resemblance to the "Black-breasted Game" breed, is the origin 

 of our domestic stock. 1 It has a vaulted tail with long drooping 

 median feathers, a serrated red comb, naked red face and throat, 



1 For a full account see Tegetmeier, Ibis, 1891, pp. 304-327. 



