1918. |] H. C. Ropinson & C. B. Ktioss: Birds. 103 
the first two or three days’ collecting in astation. One or two 
were trapped but were always so damaged as to be useless and 
the natives brought us in a few specimens at Siolak Daras. 
An exceedingly shy and silent bird, scuttling into cover at the 
least alarm and never taking to flight if possible, like its 
congener in the Malay Peninsula. 
It is curious that throughout the Korinchi Valley the Argus 
Pheasant does not occur, its characteristic cry being never 
once heard; while the natives, though it is known to many of 
them, state that itis never met with. Inthe Padang highlands 
and in the coast country to the west of the dividing range on 
the other hand it is apparently common. 
There is some uncertainty as to whether the magnificent 
Peacock Pheasant from the mountains of the Malay Peninsula 
described as Chalewrus inopinatus by Rothschild! should be 
referred to this genus or to Polyplectrum. Chalcurus is crest- 
less, has the sides of the head feathered, the back and mantle 
not ocellated, and the tail of sixteen feathers in the male: 
Polyplectruim is crested, has the sides of the face naked and the 
back ocellated the tail of 20 feathers in the male. Chalcurus 
mopinatus has the feathers of the crown full, but is not, strictly 
speaking, crested, the sides of the face thinly feathered, the 
mantle and back ocellated and the tail of twenty feathers (as 
has been pointed out by Ogilvie Grant.) 
It will be seen that the characters are almost exactly 
intermediate between the two genera but there is no doubt that 
when series of a Polyplectrum, of Chalcurus and of C. opinatius 
are laid out the general facies of the latter is with Chalcurus 
rather than with Polyplectrwim. Genera in ornithology being so 
largely a matter of convenience it would appear more reason- 
able to suppress Chalcurus altogether and broaden the charac- 
ters of Polyplectrum to embrace the latter species. To those 
who object to this the alternative is to create a new genus for 
the reception of Chalcurus tnopinatus. 
5. Sphenocercus korthalsi (Temm.). 
Sphenocercus korthalss (Temm.); Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civ. 
Gen. xiv, p. 243 (1879) ; Vorderman Tijd. Nederl. Ind. xlix, 
p. 412, no. 406 (1889) ; Salvad. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxi, p. 11 
(1893). 
PaOre a7 ea worimehi “Peak, @ygoo-10,000 feet: 
25th April-oth May, 1914. [Nos. 1155-7, 
1331-2, 1350-1, 1397-8, 1411, 2089. | 
k. 1%. Barong Bharu, Barisan Range, West Suma- 
tidieatee2o ss:  rith dpmemimon4: «No: 
2. Polypectron inopinatus, Ogilvie Grant, Journ. Fed. Malay States Mus, iii, 
D. 55 (1908). 
Part Il; Vertebrata. 
