CHALCURUS 

 BRONZE-TAILED PEACOCK PHEASANTS 



Order GALLIFORMES 

 Family PHASIANIDAE 

 Subfamily ARGUSIANINAE 



Genus CHALCURUS 



The Bronze-tailed Peacock Pheasants form a small group of two species, re- 

 sembling the true Peacock Pheasants, but decidedly less specialized both in pattern 

 and colour. In this they bear direct comparison with RJieinardius in its relationship 

 to Argusianus. 



The birds are rare, both in their wild haunts and in museums ; they have never 

 been kept in captivity, and almost nothing was known about their habits and nesting 

 until my brief opportunity for observation. In tail moult and number of eggs, these 

 birds agree with the remaining three genera of Argusianinae. 



The plumage is grey, brown and cinnamon, with almost all the feathers flecked 

 with a light spot, which on the dorsal plumage develops into a semi-ocellus. The 

 tail is sharply graduated, wedge-shaped, the central rectrices nearly three times as 

 long as the outer pair. The terminal portion of the rectrices is glossed with metallic 

 green, which tends to become concentrated into a large, eye-like spot. The face is 

 almost wholly feathered. The spurs are usually multiple in the males, at least on 

 one leg. The first primary is much shorter than the second, which, in turn, is shorter 

 than the tenth ; the sixth is slightly the longest. 



The females differ in being decidedly smaller, in possessing less conspicuous and 

 perfect ocelli, and in lacking spurs. 



Judging by the change in colour and pattern in Chalcurus from chick to adult, 

 Polyplectron presents a decided advance in evolution over the adult Chalcurus. 



Chalcurus (Malayan birds) Polyplectron (Malayan birds) 



No crest or cephalic iridescence. A long iridescent crest. 



Increase of white, ontogenetically. Great increase of white only on head and neck. 



Immature dark colours changing to somatic rufous ; Elimination of rufous and the bleaching (indicated in 



rufous of tail bleaching to buff. Chalcurus tail) of the whole body plumage. 



Slight increase in size and complexity of ocelli from Ocelli on body and wing very large and perfect. 



chick to adult. 



Central rectrices wholly or very slightly ocellied. Fully developed ocelli on middle rectrices. 



Ventral dark monocrome plumage of chick changing Under-parts pale and much mottled. 



to adult mottling. 



Very small bare facial area in adult ; none in chick. Large bare facial area. 



Male and female very similar. Male and female very unlike. 



VOL. IV 41 G 



