THE ARGUS-PHEASANTS. 



WITH the Argus-Pheasants we begin a 

 series of Pheasants which are character- 

 ised by a straight, narrow, graduated tail, 

 generally of great length. 



In both sexes of the Argus-Pheasant, the 

 sides of the head, the throat and the front 

 and sides of the neck are naked or covered 

 with only a few scattered bristles. The 

 crest is extremely short ; the tail is com- 

 posed of twelve feathers ; there is no spur 

 on the leg ; and all the quills of the wing, 

 except the first ten, are greatly lengthened 

 and very wide, especially in the male. 



In the male bird, the tail is about four 

 feet in length, and the middle tail-feathers 

 are more than twice the length of any 

 of the others. The lengthened feathers 

 of the wing are beautifully marked with 

 large ocelli. 



In the female the tail is rather more 

 than one foot in length, and there are no 

 ocelli on the lengthened feathers of the 

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