72 A MONOGRAPH OF THE PHEASANTS 



Brisson's ''Ornithologie" of 1760. In Volume I. of this work, under the heading of 

 Le Paon de la Chine, Brisson writes of the tail-feathers: "Chaque plume a vers son 

 bout deux taches ovales, scavoir une de chaque cote. . . ." In addition Einnaeus 

 correctly quotes Brisson's other Peacock Pheasant, Le Paon du Tibet, as the same bird, 

 the Plate (XXVIII. fig. 2) clearly showing the two ocelli on the tail-feathers. 



In 1 77 1 Buffon named this bird Le Chinquis, and this initiated the confusion 

 which was to continue for so many years. Five years later, Muller gave this name 

 scientific standing by describing the bird as Pavo chinquis, and, almost without 

 exception, recent ornithologists have followed his lead, although Gmelin's tibetanus, 

 published in 1788, has had many supporters. This compels us to consider a vast mass 

 of literature as synonymical. Polyplectron bicalcarattmt is hence the correct name for 

 the northern Peacock Pheasant, having as major synonyms chinquis and tibetajtns. 



Returning to Edwards as the first natural historian of the species, we find a 

 remarkably clear account, which indeed was made from the living bird. Some of his 

 remarks are quaint enough to warrant quoting : " This bird is larger than the common 

 pheasant ; and though it be called by this name, I take it not to be of the pheasant kind, 

 for the tail is composed of flat feathers, not pointed at their ends, nor bending 

 downwards towards the point, nor hollow on their under-sides, by the inclination of 

 their web, but the feathers are flat, and roundish at their tips, and in walking its tail 

 doth not bend into an arch, as it doth in a pheasant's. See the others described in this 

 book. Though it be a grave-coloured bird, yet it is one of the greatest beauties in 

 nature ; one may compare it to sable, thick set with shining jewels of various colours. 



" It hath two pair of spurs — which is a thing in this bird more rare and remarkable 

 than all its beauties. 



"This bird when I drew it was the property of James Monro, M.D., of London, a 

 most obliging gentleman, of whom I have received many favours. It has since been 

 presented to Lord Orford, and is now living at his house in the Exchequer." 



SYNONYMY 



Peacock Pheasant from China Edwards, Natural History of Birds, II. 1747, pis. dj and 69. 



Pavo bicalcaratus Linnaeus, Systema Naturae, 1758, p. 156; Linnaeus, Systema Naturae, 1766, p. 268; 

 Griffith, ed. Cuvier, III. 1829, p. 13, pi. 



Le Paon de la Chine Brisson, Ornithologle, I. 1760, p. 291. 



Le Paon du Tibet Brisson, Ornithologie, I. 1760, p. 294, pi. 28. 



LEperoiinier D'Aubent PI. Enl. pi, 492 [male] ; Buffon, Hist. Nat. Ois. II. 177 1, p. 368. 



Le chinquis Buffon, Hist. Nat. Ois. II. 1771, p. 365. 



Pavo Chinquis Muller, Supp. to Linn. S. N. 1776, p. 121. 



Iris Peacock Latham, Gen. Syn. II. 1783, p. 673 ; Latham, Gen. Hist. VIII. 1823, p. 118 [part]. 



Pavo tibetanus GvaeCm, S. N. I. 1788, Ft. II. p. 731; Latham, Ind. Orn. II. 1790, p. 617; Bonnat. Tabl. 

 Encycl. M^th. I. 1791, p. 179, pi. Zz, fig. 3. 



Pavo bicalcaratus Latham, Ind. Orn. II. 1790, p. 617 ; Shaw, Mus. Lever. 1792, p. 73, pi. 



Pavo iris Bonnat. Tabl. Encycl. Meth. I. 1791, p. 178, pi. 83, fig. 2. 



Polyplectron chinquis T^vammzV, Pig. et Gall. II. 1813, p. 363; III. 1815, p. 675 [part]; id. PI. Col. V. 

 1831, pi. 17, no. 539; Schinz, Nat. Abbild. Vog. 1833, p. 254; Jard. Nat. Lib. Orn. IV. 1834, pi. vi. ; Lesson, 

 Comp. de Buff VII. 1836, p. 319; Blyth, Cat. Mus. As. Soc. 1849, p. 241 ; Schinz, Nat. Abbild. Vog. 1853, p. 154 

 pi. 75; Swinhoe, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1863, p. 307; Sclater, List of Phas. 1863, p. 12; Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. 

 London, 1869, p. 628 [Breeding in London Zoo] ; Gould, B. Asia, VII. 1871, pi. 50 ; v. Pelzeln, Ibis, 1873, p. 119; 

 Saint- Hilaire, Bull, de la Soc. d'Acclim., 1873, pp. 191 and 285 ; Comply, Bull, de la Soc. d'Acclim. 1874, 

 p. 169; Blyth and Walden, Cat. Mamm. and B. Burma, 1875, p. 148 [Sylhet, Assam, Tenasserim, prov.] ; 

 Hume and Inglis, Stray Feathers, V. 1877, p. 40 [Cachar] ; Delaurier, Bull, de la Soc. d'Acclim. 1878, p. 591; 



