THE BIRD OF JUNO. 
22? 
Of pigeons there are no fewer than ten species ; but the web- 
footed birds are rare, comprising no more than a single species of duck, 
a teal, and a couple of species of pelicans. Flocks of white herons 
gather along the shores at ebb of tide, and pounce upon any unwary 
or accidentally stranded fish. Java possesses some beautiful peacocks, 
the glowing ocellated tails of which measure fully seven feet in 
length. When the bird is seen feeding on the ground, it seems 
wonderful that he can rise into the air with such a meteor-streaming 
train of feathers. Yet he accomplishes this movement with great 
facility by running quickly for a short distance, so as to secure a 
start, and then rising obliquely ; and in his flight will mount above 
trees of considerable elevation. The green jungle-fowl {Gallus furcatus) 
is also an inhabitant of this favoured island. His back and neck are 
finely scaled with bright bronzy feathers ; and his smooth-edged, ova] 
comb is of a violet-purple colour, changing to green at the base. A 
remarkable feature is the one large wattle beneath the throat, diversi- 
fied by three patches of yellow, red, and blue. 
Of the special Java peacock, a bird fit to have stood beside the 
throne of Juno, Mr. Wallace says that the species is different from that 
of India — the crest being of a different form, and the neck clothed with 
scale-like emerald feathers; but the train equally large and equally 
beautiful. It is a curious fact, in connection with the distribution of 
animal life, that the peacock is not found in Borneo or Sumatra; while 
the superb Argus, fire-backed, and ocellated pheasants of these islands 
are equally unknown in Java. On the other hand, while the peacock 
abounds in Southern India and Ceylon, we find there none of the 
gorgeous lophophores and other pheasants which inhabit Northern 
India. It would seem, suggests Mr. Wallace, that the peacock admits 
no rivals in his domain. " Were these birds rare in their native 
country, and unknown alive in Europe, they would assuredly be 
considered as the true princes of the feathered tribes, and altogether 
unrivalled for beauty and stateliness. As it is, I suppose scarcely any 
one, if asked to fix upon the most beautiful bird in the world, would 
name the peacock, any more than the Papuan savage or the Bugis 
trader would fix upon the bird of paradise for the same honour " 
