The Peacock Pheasant. 531 



eyes perhaps the most beautiful, is the Assam bird (P. Cliinquis). This beautiful bird in so many 

 respects resembles the Pavoiiidce that it is called by Linnreus the Thibet Peacock, though it is 

 doubtful if he was not mistaken as to this particular species being found in that locality at all. It is 

 wild and shy, being rarely met with by sportsmen, but retiring rapidly at the approach of man. The 

 general appearance is remarkably well rendered in the illustration, as may be seen by comparing it 

 with the specimens now in the Zoological Society's Gardens at Regent's Park. The body of the 

 cock is slender, the wings being however very broad and short in proportion, and much rounded at 

 the extremity. The eye is yellow ; the head greyish brown, finely pencilled over with blade ; the 



Assam Peacock Pheasant {Polyj>lectron Chiiujms). 



neck and breast brown, also beautifully pencilled over with black, and spotted with yellow ; the 

 shoulder and wing-coverts are a dirty yellowish ground, marked over with the prevailing black 

 lines or pencilling, but each feather having also a beautiful ocellus or eye like those in the tail of 

 the peacock, but smaller ; these eyes are green in the centre, with a purple border. The feathers 

 of the back and the large tail-coverts, v/hich spring out over the true tail as in the peacock, are 

 generally palish brown, each feather having a similar green and purple eye ; but in the tail these 

 eyes are also surrounded by a rim or circle of glossy black. The legs are black or greyish black, 

 and seem never to have less than two spurs, and often more, as many as five having been noticed 

 on some specimens. The hen is less striking in plumage and has not so long a tail. 



