220 CL.4S3 AVES. 



ovir cocks, long, and with divided barbs. The end of each 

 feather widens a little, and is rounded. The colours of the 

 plumage are exceedingly brilliant. The hen is smaller than 

 the cock, and her tail is also a little horizontal and vaulted ; 

 she has a small crest, and the fleshy appendages or wattles, 

 are very short ; the space round the eyes is naked, as well as 

 the throat ; and on this last part are some small feathers, 

 distant from each other, through which the red skin is per- 

 ceptible. 



The Wild Cock of Sonnerat, which this traveller dis- 

 covered in the vast and solitary forests of India, is supposed 

 by him to be the source of our domestic races. We have 

 already seen the contempt with which this writer treats the 

 opinions of others, concerning the existence of Avild cocks in 

 the Indian Archipelago, and in the new world. He appears 

 to have particularly piqued himself on the discovery, as if he 

 had found out the only source to which the common breed 

 could possibly be referred ; but this idea of his has been 

 shewn to be totally destitute of foundation ; for not only are 

 the common races with great probability referred to the 

 primitive species, which we have just described, but actually 

 the cock of Sonnerat would appear to have little or no share 

 in their origination. 



The cock of Sonnerat, from the point of the bill to the ex- 

 tremity of its lowered and extended tail, is about two feet four 

 inches in length ; its bulk is one-third less than that of our 

 village cock ; from the level of the feet to the summit of the 

 head, crest not included, are fourteen inches and a half ; the 

 crest is indented ; and the wattles resemble those of our 

 domestic cock ; but the naked parts of the head and throat 

 are more considerable. 



The feathers of the head and neck grow longer as they 

 approach the body, and their form and nature are different 

 from those of the same parts in other cocks, whether wild or 



