312 
BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 
Order XII. GALLING. 
Family PHASIANID^. 
Subfamily PAVONINE. 
Genus PAVO, Linn. 
671. PAVO MUTICUS. 
THE BURMESE PEAFOWL. 
Pavo muticus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 268 ; Elliot, Mon. Phas. i. pi. 5 ; Hume, S. F. 
iii. p. 165 ; Bl. Sf Walcl. B. Burm. p. 147 ; David et Oust. Ois. ■ CMne, p. 402 
Anders. Yunnan E.xyed. p. 668; Hume 8^ Bav. S. F. vi. pp. 425, 520; Hume, 
S. F. vii. p. 455, viii. p. 110 ; Hume Sf Marsh. Game Bii^ds, i. p. 94, pi, ; Bingham, 
8. F. ix. p. 195 ; Oates, S. F. x. p. 235 ; Kelham, Ibis, 1881, p. 529. 
Description. — It is unnecessary to describe tbe brilliant plumage of this 
bird ; and I shall content myself with pointing out the differences between 
the Burmese and the Indian Peafowl. Structurally they may be distin- 
guished at a glance. In P. cristatus the crest is composed of feathers the 
shafts of which are bare except at the tips ; in P. muticus the crest-feathers 
are webbed throughout their length. The coloration of the two is also very 
distinct. In P. cristatus the whole head^ neck and breast are of a beauti- 
ful purplish blue^ the scapulars^ tertiaries and the lesser wing-coverts 
rufescent barred with blacky and the skin of the face greyish white ; in 
P. muticus the head^ the whole neck and the breast are brilliant green^ the 
scapulars_, tertiaries and lesser wing-coverts are uniform and unbarred_, and 
the skin of the face is blue above and round the eyes_, deep yellow on 
the remainder of the face. The females may be distinguished by the 
form of the crest as well as by the coloration of the neck and breast and 
skin of the face^ all of which are similar to the same parts of the male. 
Iris brown ; legs and bill horny brown ; facial skin blue on the upper_, 
yellow on the posterior and lower part. 
Length about 45 inches^ tail 16, wing 18*5^ tarsus 6^ bill from gape 2*3. 
The female is smaller in all her dimensions. The train of the male^ the 
feathers of which constitute the upper tail-coverts and not the tail itself_, 
reaches sometimes to 45 inches beyond the tip of the tail. The total length 
of the male^ from the tip of the bill to the end of the train^ is in fine birds 
as much as 7 J feet. 
