■254 P/1EA,SA.\TS FOI! COVEETS AND AVIAIUES. 



lie was di^plaviiio' liiiuscll'. At sncli times tlu' lonLC secondary 

 fea_tliers in Ixjtli wiui;',- arc \"erticall>' erected and expanded, 

 and these, tegellier with the eiiorniously (dongated tail 

 feathers, made a grand srnii-circalar iipi-iglit fan. Now as 

 sonn as thi' wing feathers are held in tliis jiositien, and the 

 light sliiiies en them fniiii aliove, the full eifeet of the 

 shaditig comes out, and lmcIi ocelhis at once resembles the 

 (irnament called a Ijall-anil-socket. These feathers have 

 heen shown to several artists, and till have expressed their 

 admiration at the perfect shading. 



" The primar\" "wing feathers, which in most galliuaceoiis 

 birds are nniformly colnnred, are in the ArL''n^ ]dieasant not 

 less v\-(jnderfal objects than the secondary v\'ing feathers ; 

 they are of a suft lji'0^\u tint with numerfins daid< spots, 

 each (if which consists of twe or three Ijlack dots with a 

 snri'(.>unding dark zone. Biit the chief ornament is a space 

 ])ar;illel to tlie dark blue shaft, whi(di in ontline forms a 

 jii'ifect S(.'coiid feather lying within the trii':' feather, 'J'his 

 inner part is eolonretl of a lighter chestint, and is thicklv 

 dotted with niinule white points. 1 have sIkjwii this feather 

 t(i several jiersons, and many have admire(l it even more 

 than the ball-and-socket feather.^, and have il(Mdarcd that it 

 was more like a work (jf art than of Nature. Now these 

 leathers are quite hidden (jii all ordinary occasions, but are 

 fully displayed when the long secondary feathers are erected, 

 tliuugh 111 a widely 'fifferent manner ; f(jr they are expanded 

 111 front like two little fans or shiidds, one on each side of 

 tlie breast near the gr(.iund. 



"Idle case ot the male Argus plu^asant is cminentlv 

 interesting, because it atibrds go(jd evidence that tlie most 

 refined beanty may serve as a charm for the female, and 

 for no other jiurpose. AVe must conclude that this is the 

 case, as the primary wing feathers are never displayed, and 

 the ball-and-socket ornaments are not exhiljited in full 

 perfection except when the male assumes the attitude of 

 courtship. The Argus pheasant does not possess brilliant 



