10 QAME BIRDS OF INDIA AND ASIA. 



small snakes, even of poisonous species. More- 

 over, peachicks are excellent for food, although 

 the old birds are too tough for anything but making 

 soup of. The genus Pavo is only found in South- 

 east Asia, and comprises two species, of which by 

 far the best known is our familiar Indian bird. 



The Common or Indian Peacock. 



Pavo cristatus, Fauna Brit. India, Birds, 

 Vol. IV, p. 68. 



Native names : — Mor, Manjur, Hind. ; 

 Taus, P. Landuri (the female), Mahra.tta 

 Manja (the male). Mania (the female), 

 Uriya ; Mabja, Bhotanese ; Mong-yung, 

 Lepcha ; Moir, Assamese ; Dode, Garo ; 

 Myl, Tamul ; Nimili, Telugu ; Nowl, 

 Canr.rese ; Monara, Cingalese. 



In this species of peafowl both sexes possess a 

 crest formed of feathers webbed only at the tips, 

 so that each is like a little fan with a long handle ; 

 moreover the bare skin of the face is white, and 

 the feniale's plumage is altogether different from 

 the male's, even allowing for the absence of the 

 train. 



The cock's head and neck are of a lovely rich 

 greenish blue; his upper back golden green with 

 black edgings, making the feathers look like scales ; 

 the train, or long tail-coverts, green changing to 

 copper-red, with blue-and-purple eye-like spots : 

 the real tail is brown, and the wings are pale dun or 

 creamy buff with irregular black bars, except the 

 pinion-quills which aie blight chestnut, and the 

 nearest secondary quills which are black. The under- 



