GAME BIRDS OF INDIA AND ASIA. 3 



feathers as a means of decoration, it seems to me 

 that the systematic cultivation of the more bril- 

 liant game birds as plume-producers woiold pay 

 very well; such cultivation is well known to be 

 profitable in the case of the ostrich, though here 

 it entails much trouble and expense, to say nothing 

 of positive danger from the powerful males. 



Better than all, in my own private opinion, is the 

 importance of game-birds as an adjunct to scenery. 

 Although less imposing than the birds of flight, 

 the graceful form and conspicuous size and colours 

 of many of the larger species make them some of 

 the best of ornamental birds ; indeed, the peacock 

 is the oldest ' ' fancy ' ' bird known, and is still 

 admired where the cultivation of domestic mon- 

 strosities has not corrupted public taste. And if 

 it has been worth while for humanity, for so many 

 centuries, to foster a bird which admittedly has 

 many faults, for its beauty alone, we may surelj' 

 plead for an extension of protection to aU our finest 

 species, even if they had not solid qualities to 

 recomrriend them. 



Having said this much in attempted justifica- 

 tion of game-birds as a subject for study by the 

 most practi'caUy-minded, I may proceed to the 

 characteristics of the family, all of which may be 

 easily verified on the first chicken that comes to 

 hand. 



The head is notably small for the size of the bird, 

 with a small beak, short and stout, with the upper 

 profile arched ; the nostrils are roofed over on the 

 inner side by a gristly scale ; the mouth is wide, 

 running back nearly below the front of the eye 

 (N. B. — The beak is to be measured from this point. 



