156 
THE POLYPLECTRON. 
never erected, like that of the two preceding genera, 
but is capable of a very wide expansion. It has also 
what its describees term the upper range of feathers. 
These cover the first half of the tail ; and if the lower 
range or true tail were removed, the upper would 
appear to an unaccustomed observer to be perfect, 
and the only feathers belonging to this organ. An- 
other singularity is in the tarsi being generally fur- 
nished with two spurs upon each, sometimes three, 
and, in a few instances, three on one leg, and two 
only on that opposite. The cheeks are covered with 
feathers, and the whole plumage is perfectly different 
in structure from that of the true peacocks. The 
fourth species (Plate VII.) varies in the form of the 
tail, which becomes much more lengthened, the 
shape of the feathers resembling somewhat those of 
the next genus to be described. We shall first no- 
tice that which seems to have been the species first 
known, or brought to Europe ; it is the 
ARGUS POLYPLECTRON. 
Polyplectron bicalcaratum — Temminck. 
Pavo bicalcaratus, Linnmis, Gmelin . — Polyplectron bieal- 
caratum, Eperonnier argus, Temminck . — Le Paon de Ma- 
lacca, Sonnerat. 
It is evident from the characters given by Gmelin, 
that two species of this genus were known, the species 
