155 
Genus POLYPLECTRON, Temm. 
This genus was establislied by Temminck, from 
the 1’Eperonne of Buffon, the Peacock Pheasant of 
Edwards and Sonnerat, the Pavo bicalcaratus and 
Tibetanus of Gmelin's Linnmus. We think there 
is rio doubt that both this species and that of our 
Plate VI. was known to Gmelin ; while the repre- 
sentations of Buffon and Sonnerat might have been 
taken from either. Prior ornithologists retained 
these birds with the peacocks, and that place is as- 
signed to it in the last edition of Cuvier's Regne 
Animal. Since the institution of the genus, how- 
ever, the P. Tibetanus has been examined, and two 
additional birds have been discovered, which agree 
with the characters assigned to the type, and all dif- 
fer from the peacocks in the modifications from which 
Temminck has proposed to form his distinctions. 
They inhabit the Indian Islands or China, and 
seem almost equally hardy with the peacock, living 
and thriving well in confinement ; and, if they could 
be procured in sufficient numbers to ensure a stock, 
would form a most lovely addition to the ornamen- 
tal poultry-yard. The chief distinction is in the 
form of the tail ; it is rounded and very ample ; 
the feathers stiff, and forming a plane surface. It is 
