20 



THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



developed with " horns " and wattles. These " horns " can be erected at will, a process which 

 causes them at the same time to be greatly increased in size. The bird, with a proud con- 

 sciousness of his beauty, displays his charms to the full when wooing. Mr. Kartlctt tells us 

 that, "after walking about rather excitedly, he places himself in front of the female, with 

 the body slightly crouching upon the legs, and the tail bent downwards; the head is then 

 violently jerked downwards, and the horns and wattle become conspicuous. The wings have 

 a flapping motion, and the bright red patch on them is fully displayed. The whole of the 

 neck appears to be larger than usual during this action, so do the horns, which, moreover, 

 vibrate with every motion. This scene is concluded by the bird suddenly drawing himself up 

 to his full height, with his wings expanded and quivering, the horns erect, and the wattles 

 fully displayed." 



Equally splendid, some think more so, are the four species of pheasant known as MONALS 

 or I.Mi'KYAN PHEASANTS. The plumage in this case looks like burnished metal rather than 



/*/ it C Kilt\ 



[tfiiluu; N.t. 



SILVER WYANDOTTE HEN WITH PHEASANT CHICKS 



TAil it an American treed, derived by (rolling it-itA the Brama 



feathers. The head is adorned with a crest either of long or beautifully curled feathers. Monals 

 are found in the same haunts as the tragopans the highest forest regions of the Himalaya. 



But the most gorgeous of all the Pheasant Tribe are perhaps the (>m in \ I'III:\V\MS. 

 The crimson body and exquisitely beautiful collar of gold barred with black constitute a 

 perfectly royal livery. Since, however, these are amongst the commonest occupants of the 

 aviary, we need not describe them further here. They are natives of China and Tibet. 



Jl \. I. K.-H >\VI. AND TliriK 1 )< 'M1XI h MM' DESCENDANTS 



These birds, of which there are four distinct species, are close allies of the domesticated 

 fowls: the descent of these latter, indeed, is traced from the red jungle-fowl of the Himalaya 

 and Central India. The characteristic features of the group are the naked head, bearing the 

 familiar wattles and fleshy comb, ami the formidable spurs on the legs. 



The varieties of the domesticated jungle-fowl are numerous. The pugnacity of the 



