CLASS II. AVES: ORDER 5. RASORES. 



251 



captivity the pheasant will breed \\itli the common fowl and guinea-fowl, and in a wild state 

 hybrids of these with the black grouse have been met with. 



The Ring-necked Pheasant, P. torquatus, is a Chinese species, twenty-nine inches long, and 

 marked by a white band around the neck. The Golden Pheasant, P. 2nctus, and the Silver 

 Pheasant, P. nycthemerus, are exceedingly brilliant and beautiful ; they are found wild in China, 

 and are common in European countries in a domestic state. 



THE ARGUS PHEASANl 



Genus ARGUS : Argus. — To this belongs the Argus Pheasant, A. giganteus^ surpassing m 

 size and splendor all the other species. It is more than five feet long, and is remarkable for the 

 length of the secondary quill feathers of the wings, which often exceed two feet in length ; being 

 adorned with a series of ocellated spots along their whole length, they give the bird an indescrib- 

 able magnificence when the wings are expanded. It is a native of Sumatra and India. 



Among the other species of these elegant birds are the Impeyan Pheasant, Lophophorus Im- 

 IKyawas — size of a hen turkey, and found in Nepaul — and Hastings' Tragopan, Tragopan Hast- 

 ingsii, from the northern range of the Himalaya Mountains. The latter is distinguished by a 

 crest, and two fleshy horns rising from the back of the head ; a mass of fleshy wattles cover the 

 under part of the neck. The habits of these birds resemble those of other pheasants. 



Genus GALLUS : Gallus. — This includes the Common Fowl, Gallus domesticus, the most valu- 

 aole of all birds to man. This has been under his protection from time iuunemorial ; and the 



