) 
( 
^he Peacock Pheasant from China. 
7 ^ H I S Bird is larger than the common Pheafant, and, tho’ it be called by this 
Name, I take it not to be of the Pheafant Kind, for the Tail is compofed of 
flat Feathers, not pointed at their Ends, nor bending downward towards the Point,, 
nor hollow on their under Sides,, by the Inclination of their Web, but the FeatherS’ 
are flat and roundijfli at their Tips, and in walking its Tail doth not bend into an Arch, 
as it doth in a Pheafanfs. See the others defcribed in this Book. Tho* it be a grave 
coloured Bird, yet is it one of the greatefl: Beauties in Nature ; one may compare it to 
Sable, thick fet with iHning Jewels of various Colours, 
Its Bill is dufky, the upper Mandible being red from the Nofirils to the Point ; the 
Eyes are yellow 5 it hath alfo a yellow bare Space between the Bill and Eyes, thinly 
fet with black Hairs ; the Cheeks, and a little Space above the Eyes, are whitifh 5 the 
Feathers on the Crown of the Head are dark Brown, rifing up, and their Tipsrefled:- 
ing a little, forward > the Neck is bright Brown, tranfverfly barred with dirty dark 
Brown 5 the upper Part of the Back, and all the Wing Feathers, except the greater 
Quills, are of a dark- brown Colour, finely painted on the Tip of each Feather with 
bright fliining round Spots of Purple, which are changeable to Blue, Green, and a 
golden Copper Colour; thefe are encompaffed with Circles of Black, and each Feather 
tipp’d with bright yellowifh Brown ; the Spaces between the Spots on the Wing and 
Back are powder’d with fine light brown Spots; the greater C^lls are wholly of a 
dark Brown or Black ; the Breaft, Belly, and Thighs, are of a dark Brown, tranf- 
verfly variegated with Black ; the lower Part of the Back and Feathers covering the 
Tail are Brown, finely powdered with a brighter Brown ; the Tail Feathers are of a 
pretty dark Brown^ powder’d alfb finely with a lighter Brown, the Feathers being 
longeh in the Middle, and fliortening gradually toward the Sides : Each Feather of 
the Tail hath two beautiful Eyes toward their Tips, one on each Side the Shafts of 
the Feathers, fo that they hand in Pairs, of the fame changeable beautiful Colour 
•with thofe on the Back and Wings, encompaffed with Black, and without that encom- 
paffed again with obfcure Orange Colour : Thefe bright Spots hardly appear on the 
under Side of the Tail, which is of a dulky Colour ; the Legs and Feet are like thofe 
of a Hen, of a dirty Brown or Black; it hath two Pair of Spurs, the firh Spur handing 
about a quarter Part up the Leg; the other, which is the larger, about the Middle of 
the Leg;"^ which is a Thing in this Bird more rare and remarkable than all its Beauties. 
This Bird, when I drew it, was the Property of James Monro, M. D. of London, a 
moh obliging Gentleman, of whom I have received many Favours. It has fince been, 
prefented to Lord Orford,. and is now living at his Houfe in the Exchequer. 
The Flower here figured, by Way of Decoration, is called the Chinefe Rofe : I drew , 
it from Nature ; it is what we fee mofl frequently painted in Chinefe Pi( 5 tures ; it blows 
broader than a Rofe, and is of a red Rofe Colour, with the Stems in the Middle of a 
Yellow or Gold Colour. The green Leaves were fliff, firm, and- fmooth, like thofe 
of Ever-greens. 
This beautiful flowering Tree was raifed by the late curiouS’and noble Lord Petre, 
in his Stoves at Hborndon-Hall in EffeXr 
^bc 
