ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 
39 
MAP SHOWING THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE PEAFOWL. 
Region 1. Pavo eristatus Region 2. Pavo muticus 
low against the earth, even the wings 
trailed the ground, the whole bird relaxed 
as it forced its very soul into the pene¬ 
trating cry. In the silence of the Bornean 
jungle and to my over-wrought nerves, the 
cry seemed filled with emotion. It vocal¬ 
ized all the wildness, it voiced all the 
haunting tragedies of this great island, and 
it threw over me a spell of evil in the days 
to come which ever after recurred again 
and again whenever I heard this cry. Six 
times the Argus called in all, listening for 
three or four minutes after each time, walk¬ 
ing slowly about, sometimes taking only a 
few steps, or again making the entire round 
of the arena before calling.” 
In this great work, then, we have a combina¬ 
tion of elements that, unless our appraisal is 
entirely at fault, go to make these volumes 
unique in monographic writing. Summarizing, 
we find firstly, complete and careful scientific 
detail; secondly, a description of the birds 
“in nature,” which is always vivid, comprehend¬ 
ing not only the bird itself but every phase of 
nature that surrounds it and affects it; and 
lastly, an appreciation of the wonder and beauty 
of the lives of this varied and fascinating family 
of birds. What more can the scientist or 
amateur ask for ? 
The gratitude of the Zoological Society, of 
the scientific world and of the public to Colonel 
Anthony R. Kuser of Bernardsville, New Jer¬ 
sey, is very real, because it was his interest, 
generosity and support that made possible the 
long explorations from which this monograph 
has resulted. 
The energy and inspiration displayed by the 
artists who have contributed the coloured re¬ 
productions that appear throughout the volume 
cannot fail to be remarked upon. Here we have 
no ordinary lot of coloured plates, but a series 
of pictures of the pheasants in their habitat, 
done with such an eye to truth and beauty that 
we feel that author and artists have been work¬ 
ing under a similar impulse. 
* * * 
As an afterthought, I cannot help but relate 
