COLLECTION OF BIRDS. 367 



ing to the reflexion of the light. The crested 

 pheasant (p. ignitus), from the Sonda islands, is 

 next to it, and is not less remarkable for the sin- 

 gular form of its crest, than for the colour of its 

 plumage. After it comes the rouloul from Ma* 

 lacca,a very rare species discovered by Sonnerat; 

 the male is black and the female green. The 

 lower part of the case is filled with the pinta- 

 does (numida, Lin.), commonly called guinea- 

 fowls. The most common species is gregarious 

 in the marshes of Africa. As its flesh is very good 

 eating, it would be advantageously multiplied in 

 our farm-yards, were its cry less disagreeable. 



The numerous family of the grouse, of which 

 we have fifty-nine species, entirely fills the 

 thirty-fourth case. To it belongs the heath-cock, 

 the largest of the gallinaceae; the water-hen; the 

 lagopus or ptarmigan, which is of a tawny co- 

 lour in summer and white in winter. This bird 

 lives on high mountains, and passes the winter 

 under the snow; the several varieties of part- 

 ridges ; and lastly, the quail, the white variety 

 of which was sent to Buffon by Louis XV, 

 who killed it^when sporting. A great number 

 of foreign species with varied plumage are 

 grouped around the European, which serve as 

 types to the different genera of this family, so 

 celebrated for furnishing excellent game. 



