118 A MONOGRAPH OF THE PHEASANTS 
or chicks. Of eight individuals which have lived in these gardens, the average length 
of life was three years and four months, while one reached the age of nine years and 
three months. An egg collected in Siam is bluish white, with a faint reddish shade, 
and measures 48 by 38 mm. 
In captivity these birds soon become tame and familiar, and I have never seen a 
cock which would not soon come up to its keeper and take meal-worms from his fingers. 
At the same time they are very strong, and with their spurs are able to do great damage 
to other birds. If allowed to run freely with poultry they will engage every cock in 
combat, and no matter how skilful or strong a game-cock may be, it has no chance 
against this active Fireback of the Siamese wilderness. A writer in ‘The Field” tells 
us that even when the opponents of such a captive pheasant were double its weight they 
had no chance against it. He goes on to say that “ At length its pugnacious propensities 
became such a nuisance that my neighbour's servants seized it one day and cut down its 
long, sharp spurs to mere stumps. The poor bird, however, though shorn of its strength, 
lost none of its spirit, and assailed its gallinaceous enemies as recklessly as ever. These 
soon found out that its weapons were gone, and plucking up courage, paid it off with 
interest for former injuries ; in a week or two my Diardigallus had scarce a feather left 
on it.” The same writer says, that when in good health, the Siamese Fireback incessantly 
uttered a sweet, mellow cooing and clucking. 
DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
ADULT MALE.—Feathered parts of the head, chin and throat black; crest of ten 
or more feathers, black glossed with steel-blue. These feathers are 85 mm. long, with 
thickened bare shafts for about two-thirds of the entire length, the extremity being 
formed of a long tuft or bunch of disintegrated barbs. The neck and the entire mantle 
and breast, together with the scapulars, wing-coverts and secondaries (these latter chiefly 
on the outer webs), show a beautiful even vermiculation of white and black, producing 
almost a monochrome grey. The scapulars, lesser and median wing-coverts show a 
black sub-terminal band, narrowly edged with white. Mid-back, shining gold on the 
broad, disintegrated terminal fringe which forms the visible portion of the feathers, 
then an equal area of pale buff, the remaining basal portion vermiculated grey like 
the mantle; lower back, rump and shorter tail-coverts with a terminal fringe of rich, 
dark, shining crimson, the remainder of the feathers being glossy steel-blue. Longest 
tail-coverts purplish-green with a rather narrow terminal fringe of clear, shining sage 
green. Primaries brownish-black, faintly mottled with grey. Belly, lower sides, flanks 
and under tail-coverts black, with a broad terminal fringe of steel-blue. Tail-feathers 
black, glossed with purplish-blue on the outer webs, greenish on the inner. The 
rectrices are strongly curved, the three inner pairs being remarkably long and pointed. 
Bill yellowish, darker toward the base; facial skin, wattles, legs and feet, scarlet; spurs 
and claws whitish horn colour. Bull from nostril, 18 mm.; wing, 233; tail, 322; 
tarsus, 101; middle toe and claw, 58; spur, 20. 
ADULT FEMALE. Top of the head and neck brown, shading into smoky grey 
on the chin and throat. Mantle clear, dull chestnut, posteriorly becoming more and 
more mottled with black, then changing rather abruptly into the pattern of the 

