COCKS. 427 



Nychthemerus (the night and the day). There are also the Ring- 

 necked or Collared Pheasant, slightly different from the Common 

 Pheasant, which for some years has propagated rapidly in France 

 and England; Reeves's Pheasant (Phasianus veneratus, Temm.), 

 indigenous to China, where it is rather rare, and very highly prized 

 for the beauty of its plumage and the extraordinary length of its 

 tail it is said that the exportation of this bird is severely inter- 

 dicted ; and lastty, the beautiful Lady Amherst's Pheasant, so called 

 because that lady brought two living specimens to Europe. " I pass 

 thus some and of the best/' as is said in Hernani, the French 

 comedy. 



The ARGUS (Argus giganteus, Temm.), Fig. 173, a bird with 

 magnificent plumage, which inhabits the forests of Java and 

 Sumatra, takes its place beside the Pheasants, from which it only 

 differs in having the tarsi longer and unprovided with spurs, and 

 by the extraordinary development of the secondary feathers of the 

 wings in the male. The tail is large and round, and the two 

 middle feathers are extremely long and quite straight. When 

 paraded, as it struts round the female, spreading its wings and 

 tail, this bird presents to the dazzled eye of the spectator two 

 splendid bronze- coloured fans, upon which are sprinkled a pro- 

 fusion of ocellated markings much resembling eyes : it owes its 

 name of Argus to these spots. In a state of quiescence the wings 

 are folded on the sides, and attract little attention. Only in the 

 male bird is the gorgeous display of colouring to be found. The 

 Argus is very timid ; its habits are little known. 



The general characteristics of the COCK ( Gallus) are as follows : 

 A middling-sized, curved, and strong beak ; head surmounted by 

 a fleshy, red, and denticulated crest, the lower jaw furnished with 

 two hanging gills, equally red and fleshy; rather long tarsi, armed 

 with sharp spurs ; short, concave, and obtuse wings ; tectiforin 

 tail, arched and falling in plumes, with very developed medium 

 feathers ; brilliant plumage, with metallic reflections. This 

 description applies exclusively to male birds. Hens, more humble 

 in their costume, are not gifted with these exterior advantages ; 

 their plumage is generally dull and without attraction, their 

 straight and slightly-raised tails are limited to an ordinary pro- 

 portion ; their crest is reduced to the most simple excrescence, 



