PHEASANT. 207 



M. Temminck describes the female as being so different from the 

 male, as not to be recognized as the same species. Size much the 

 same, but shorter, being only twenty-six inches from the point of 

 the bill to the end of the tail ; the head, on the sides, and neck, 

 naked as in the male, and of the same colour ; a short, cottony, 

 grey-brown down, covers the crown and hindhead ; lower part of 

 the neck, breast, and upper part of the back rufous chestnut; as are 

 more of the upper parts, but marked with some zigzags of black ; 

 lower part of the back, rump, and wing and tail coverts, yellowish 

 brown, with cross stripes of black, and some zigzags ; wings shaped 

 as in the male, but without the eyed spots on the secondaries ; instead 

 of which some marks like Chinese characters are to be seen ; bill, 

 naked skin of neck, and legs, as in the male. 



Inhabits China. — That in engraved in Phil. Trans, supposed to 

 be pretty exact. The head and legs were, indeed, wanting in the 

 specimen, but those parts were supplied from imitating the painted 

 figure sent with it. This bird, if not confounded with the Malay 

 Peacock, is said to be found in the woods of Sumatra, and there 

 called Coo-ow, or Kuaow. It does not bear confinement for any 

 length of time, after catching it in the woods, never more than a 

 month. It seems to have an antipathy to the light, being quite 

 inanimate during the day ; but when kept in a dark place, appears 

 perfectly at ease, and sometimes makes its note or call, from which 

 it takes its name, and which is rather plaintive, and not harsh, like 

 that of the Peacock. The flesh resembles, in flavour, that of the 

 Common Pheasant : much doubt has arisen in our minds whether 

 this, and the Malay Peacock, were distinct birds: the latter we have 

 never seen specimens of, and have therefore, only to rely on Dr. 

 Buchanan for our figure and description. M. Temminck has 

 complete skins of the Argus, from which he has been enabled 

 to describe both sexes, as well as the young bird. The Argus 

 Pheasant too, is in Van Marum's Museum, at Haarlem, quite perfect 

 even to the feet, which are usually wanting in collections.* 



* Hortic. Tour, p. 288. 



