28 MALAYAN OHNITUOLOOY. 



very little doubt as to what they were." 



Argus a giganteus (Tenim.). The Argus Pheasant. 



This magnificent bird cannot be rare in the interior of the 

 country, as numbers are snared and brought into the Settlements 

 by the Malays ; but it is so shy, and frequents such dense 

 jungle, that it is very seldom seen. Personally I never saw it 

 wild — though while in Perak I had several brought alive to me 

 by the natives, also when at Malacca I saw the skins of some 

 which had been obtained near Mount Ophir. 



During January, 1S77, I spent a few days in a boat on the 

 upper reaches of the Perak river, shooting and collecting. One 

 afternoon, not very far from Kampong Senggang, I landed, and 

 striking inland a few hundred yards, came to a small marsh, 

 round its edges shooting a great many Golden Plover (Chora- 

 drius fulvus), Lapwing (Lobivanellus atronuchalis) , and Snipe 

 (GalHnago stenura). 



While busy shooting, the banging of my gun attracted some 

 Malays, who came to me, bringing with them a Crested Partridge 

 (Rollulus roulroul) and a splendid male Argus Pheasant, both 

 having been but lately snared, as the nooses were still hanging 

 to their legs ; bat its captors had spoiled the beauty of the 

 latter by pulling out its long delicately-marked tail-feathers and 

 sticking them in their head-handkerchiefs. For 75 cents (about 

 three shillings) I got both the birds, with a small monkey and 

 wicker cage thrown in, the latter ingeniously made by splitting 

 a bamboo and spreading the split pieces out into an extinguisher- 

 shape. 



On getting back to Kuala Kangsa I turned the Pheasant into 

 my aviary, where it did exceedingly well, becoming as tame as a 

 barn-door fowl, and running to the door of the aviary when I ap- 

 proached, to take food almost from my hand. On leaving the 

 country I gave this bird to Mr. Hugh Low, H.B.M. Resident, and 

 about two months later heard from him that twice it had escaped 

 into the jungle and had been given up as lost, but on each occasion, 

 after remaining away for about twenty-four hours, it had returned 

 and walked into its cage. 



I think this incident worthy of notice, having often heard that 



