236 



CLASS AVES. 



straight, with a naked base. The upper mandible is vaulted, 

 and curved towards its extremity. The nostrils are lateral, 

 placed in the middle of the upper mandible, and half closed 

 by a membrane. The head, cheeks, and neck are naked. 

 The feet have three toes before, and one behind ; the three 

 anterior toes are united by a membrane. The tarsus is 

 slender, and without a spur. The tail is raised, compressed 

 in two planes, and composed of twelve rectrices, the two in- 

 termediate ones of which are very long ; the secondary quills 

 of the wings are longer than the remiges, and in the males 

 double their length. The first remex is very short. 



The descriptions by various authors of this fine and rare 

 bird, have been very vague and imperfect. Montbeillard 

 simply tells us of a pheasant in the north of China, remark- 

 able for the eyes on its wings and tail, and the length of the 

 two middle tail-feathers. He adds, that it is of the bulk of 

 the turkey, and has a double tuft upon the head inclining 

 backwards. The additions of Sonnini on this bird are not 

 more satisfactory. Marsden calls it the famous pheasant of 

 Sumatra, and places it, but wrongly, far above the peacock 

 in point of beauty. He tells us that it has a decided anti- 

 pathy for day-light, which can hardly be true except of 

 captived individuals. There is a short but very exact de- 

 scription of it by the Baron de Wurmb, in the transactions 

 of the Society of Batavia. 



In all birds the greater or less rapidity of flight depends in 

 a great measure on the length of the remiges. By the assist- 

 ance of these quills, which are usually the strongest, the bird 

 can moderate its flight, and has the power of turning more or 

 less quickly. The secondary quills are also of great assist- 

 ance ; and the coverts, inclined graduatedly on these quills, 

 contribute to strengthen them, and produce a greater force in 

 the action of flight. Il is by this mechanical arrangement 

 that the wings can cut and strike the air, and serve as a con- 

 tinual point of support to the bird to enable it to rise at 



