( ^7 ) 
The Peacock Pheasant from China. 
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 roundifli 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 greateft Beauties in Nature j one may compare it to 
Sable, thick fet with fhining Jewels of various Colours. 
Its Bill is dulky, the upper Mandible being red from the Noflrils to the Point; the 
Eyes are yellow; it hath alfo a yellow bare S^pace between the Bill and Eyes, thinly 
let with black Hairs; the Cheeks, and a little Space above the Eyes, are whidfli; tlie 
Feathers on the Crown of the Head are dark Brown, riling up, and their Tipsrefied:- 
ing a little forward; the Neck is bright Brown, tranfverfly barred Vv^ith dirty dark 
Brown; 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 Alining round Spots of Purple, which are changeable to Blue, Green, and a 
golden Copper Colour; thefe are encompafied with Circles of Black, and each Feather 
tipp’d with bright yellowiAi Brown ; the Spaces between the Spots on the V/ing and 
Back are powder’d v/ith fine light brown Spots; the greater Quills 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 alfo finely v/ith a lighter Brown, the Feathers being 
longefl in the Middle, and fliortening gradually tov/ard 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 fland in Pairs, of the fame changeable beautiful Colour 
with thofe on the Back and Wings, encompafied with Black, and without that encom¬ 
pafied again with obfcure Orange Colour: Thefe bright Spots hardly appear on the 
under Side of the Tail, which is of a dufky Colour; the Legs and Feet are like thofe 
of a Plen^ of a dirty Brov>?n or Black; it hath two Pair of Spurs, the firA Spur ftanding 
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 iifip.vri?, M. D. of Londoi^ a- 
moA obliging Gentleman, of v/hom I have received many Favours.. It has fince been 
prefented to Lord Orfordy and is now living at his Houfe in. the Exchequer. 
The Flower here figured, by Way of Decoration, is called the Cbinefe Rofe: I drew 
it from Nature; it is what we fee moA frequently painted in Chinefe Pictures; 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 Aiff, 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 Phorndon-Hall in EJJ'ex, 
PIjc: 
