Plumage. 255 



neither exhibits the extraordinary development of the tail 

 and wings nor the eye-hke spots of the male. Her plumage 

 is darker, and the total length is only twenty-six inches. 



The two specimens (a male and a female) figured in the 

 engraving had been living some few years in the Zoological 

 Gardens in the Eegent's Park when the first edition of this 

 work was published, at which time only five specimens of the 

 Argus had been seen alive in Europe ; since then it has been 

 more frequently imported, and many adult specimens have 

 been received in the Zoological Gardens, and several young 

 have been bred there. In addition to those in the Eegent's 

 Park, others have lived in the possession of the King of Italy 

 and in the Zoological Gardens at Amsterdam. It is singular 

 that the Argus, although so exceedingly shy when wild, 

 becomes perfectly tame in captivity, returning to its aviary 

 when allowed to escape, as related by Lieut. Kilham in the 

 Ibis for 1881. 



The ornamentation of the secondary wing feathers in the 

 male Argus is one of the most wonderful in the whole animal 

 kingdom ; the ornamental marks are usually termed ocelli 

 or eyes, but they much more closely resemble ball and socket 

 ornaments. As these ocelli are not visible when the wing is 

 closed, the mode in which they were displayed has hitherto 

 rather been conjectured than described, and even in recent 

 works the bird has been portrayed displaying its plumage in 

 a perfectly unnatural manner. 



Fortunately, however, the pair of Argus pheasants formerly 

 in the Zoological Gardens, Eegent's Park, were closely watched 

 for some days in succession by the late Mr. T. W. Wood, 

 who had several opportunities of seeing the male bird display 

 the magnificence of its plumage, and made a drawing of it at 

 the time. At my request he kindly favoured me with the 

 following particulars : — 



"It is Avith great pleasure that I comply with your 

 request to give you a description of the mode of display of 

 the Argus. The male bird commences by running about 



