chap, vn.] WILD PEACOCKS. 167 



in the very country where, five hundred years ago, these 

 grand works were being yearly executed, the inhabitants 

 now only build rude houses of bamboo and thatch, and 

 look upon these relics of their forefathers with ignorant 

 amazement, as the undoubted productions of giants or of 

 demons. It is much to be regretted that the Dutch 

 Government do not take vigorous steps for the preservation 

 of these ruins from the destroying agency of tropical 

 vegetation ; and for the collection of the fine sculptures 

 which are everywhere scattered over the land. 



Wonosalem is situated about a thousand feet above the 

 sea, but unfortunately it is at a distance from the forest, 

 and is surrounded by coffee-plantations, thickets of bamboo, 

 and coarse grasses. It was too far to walk back daily to the 

 forest, and in other directions I could find no collecting 

 ground for insects. The place was, however, famous for 

 peacocks, and my boy soon shot several of these magni- 

 ficent birds, whose flesh we found to be tender, white, and 

 delicate, and similar to that of a turkey. The Java 

 peacock is a different species from that of India, the neck 

 being covered with scale-like green feathers, and the crest 

 of a different form ; but the eyed train is equally large and 

 equally beautiful. It is a singular fact in geographical 

 distribution that the peacock should not be found in 

 Sumatra or Borneo, while the superb Argus, Fire-backed, 



