£-0 cassell's book of birds. 



two males of the species had been presented by Sir Archibald Campbell, who received them from 

 the King of Ava. They came originally from the mountains of Cochin China, and only survived 

 the vo3age to England a few weeks. 



" It is now believed," says Mr. Gould, " that the bird is an inhabitant of the Chinese province 

 of Yunnan and the adjoining region of Thibet." We have no account of its mode of life or habits. 



The EARED PHEASANTS {Crossoptilon), are so called on account of the remarkable tufts 



of feathers, resembling those of some Owls, situated at the sides of the head. They are also 



distinguishable from the members of the family already described by their very powerful build and 



comparatively short tail, the feathers at the extremity of which are discomposed, and overhang 



the rest. 



THE CHINESE EARED PHEASANT. 



The Chinese Eared Pheasant {Crossoptilon auritum) has the throat and a line that passes 

 from thence to the ear of pure white ; the somewhat lax plumage on the head, the nape, upper breast, 

 and back are black, and the mantle-feathers light brownish grey ; the rump is yellowish white, and 

 the under side pale greyish yellow ; the quills and tail-feathers are yellowish grey, with a dark border 

 to the outer web ; the streaming feathers on the upper covers are greyish black. The hen is somewhat 

 smaller than'her mate, and has the long feathers less developed. 



We are without particulars as to the life and habits of this Pheasant. Lamprey tells us he 

 observed it in the markets of Pekin, and heard that it is found on the mountains to the north of that 

 town. M. Armand David also met with it in July, 1863, in the northern valley of a high mountain, 

 fifteen leagues to the west of Pekin, and was told that it is called Ho-ki, or Gho-ky, by the Chinese. 

 ^Vhen placed in an aviary these birds soon become gentle and familiar. In their wild state they 

 frequent well-wooded spots on mountains ; they perch readily, and carry their tails after the 

 fashion of the Domestic Fowl ; their somewhat varied call also much resembles the voice of that bird. 

 The crops of three specimens killed in July were filled with the leaves o{ cytisus ; and those examined 

 in winter contained nuts, kernels, leaves of mugwort, ferns, roots, orchids, coleoptera, worms, and 

 caterpillars. In a paper contributed to the Zoological Society's Proceedings for July, 1866, Mr. Saurin 

 informs us that the hen lays at the end of May ; the eggs are larger than those of a Common Fowl, and 

 of a blueish tint. The Chinese rear these Pheasants on a kind of millet-cake ; they are also very fond of 

 barley. In 1866 two males of this species were presented to the London Zoological Gardens, and in 

 the same year two hens were purchased from the Jardin d' Acclimatisation of Paris ; since that time 

 they have produced several broods, which have been hatched by a Domestic Hen. 



THE ARGUS PHEASANT, OR KUAU. 

 The Argus Pheasant, or Kuau {Argies giganieus). This magnificent species has the feathers on 

 the upper and primary quills unusually prolonged, and broad at the tips ; their shafts are soft, and the 

 web of firm, stiff texture ; the secondaries, on the contrary, are very short. The moderately long 

 beak is compressed at its sides, slightly vaulted, bare at its base, and hooked at its tip ; the long weak 

 foot is without a spur ; the tail, composed of twelve feathers, is very long and much graduated, the 

 two centre feathers far exceeding the rest in length ; the sides of the head and throat are bare, with 

 the exception of a few black hairs ; the brow, top of the head, and back of the head, on the contrary, 

 are covered with a growth of small velvety feathers. The coloration of the plumage is more 

 remarkable for the delicacy of its markings than for the brilliancy of its hues. The short feathers on 

 the crown are deep black, those on the back of the neck striped yellow, and those on the nape and 

 uppei back brown, marked and dotted with light yellow. The yellowish brown feathers on the centre 



