246 THE CEYLON JUNGLE-FOWL. 



The Plate conveys, I believe, a very excellent general idea of 

 both sexes of the species, but the legs are totally wrongly 

 coloured, and the bills are not right. 



Only FOUR species of Jungle-Fowl are at present admitted, the 

 three above dealt with and G alius var ins ot Java* and other is- 

 lands, but I think it probable that Gallus ceneus of Sumatra, 

 and perhaps one or two others at present degraded under the 

 appellation of hybrids may prove to be good species. 



Our three species all have a serrated comb and two lateral 

 wattles, whereas varius has an entire comb, no side wattles, but 

 the gular skin largely centrally developed. 



Much, as previously remarked, has been written as to the 

 origin of the various races of domestic fowls, but considering 

 that we do not yet really know how many or what wild species 

 there are, and that fowls have probably been under domestica- 

 tion for between 4,000 and 5,000 years, I do not think, as already 

 hinted on other grounds, that much profit is to be gained from 

 the discussion. 



* Mr. Whampoa, at Singapore, showed Davison a very fine living male of this 

 species, presented to him by the Maharajah of Johore, who assured him that it had 

 been captured in his own territories. 



