HOUWINK’S EXPER. CONC. THE ORIGIN OF SOME DOMESTIC ANIMALS 39 
4. THE JAVANESE JUNGLE FOWL 
(Plate LI fig. 4) 
The Javanese Jungle Fowl inhabits the islands of Java, Madura, 
Kangean, Bali, Lombok, Flores and Alor. Ajam alas, Pittè wono, Baki 
koek in Javanese, from there the french name Coq ayamalas. Hybrids 
between Gallus varius and native poultry are known as Bekisar or Ka- 
kok. As the soundanese name BEEBE gives: ajam leuweung which 
means forest-fowl and Kasintoe, stating that the latter name is also ap- 
plied to Gallus bankiva ; personally one of us has never heard it applied 
to any than to this latter species. BEEBE also states that the Javanese 
indicate by the name Bekikko both G. varius and G. bankiva. 
„Gallus varius is a bird of the drier coastal belt, extending inland 
along the lower valleys, and in some cases, ascending the mountains to 
a considerable height, but always in places where the coafiguration of 
the land results in a lessened degree of humidity. I have no reliable re- 
cord of its occurrence over 2300 feet, and at this altitude it is very rare, 
* and shifts downwards at the beginning of the rains. Besides this altitu- 
dinal, the species has a marked longitudinal distribution in Java. It is 
found in greatest abondance on the east and north-east coasts, beco- 
ming more rare as we approach the western end of the island, where in 
many places it is altogether absent. As one of many exemples of the da- 
ta on which I base this statement, I found that on most of the big 
estates in the Preanger the red’ jungle fowl is well known, while the 
Javan bird had never been seen or heard of.” 
WALLACE The Malay Archipelago p. 83, obtained both Gallus varius 
and Gallus bankiva near Kampong Djapannan on the Ardjoeno. They 
prefer dreary, rocky limestone ridges with cactus-growth, where they 
are so common that at least 35 were met by BEEBE between three 
limestone ridges covering considerably less than a square mile. In day- 
time many of them would drift down into the cultivated valley lands 
to feed. 
Their note of content was a slowly uttered drawn-out, wak, wak, 
wäk, wak f. i. when lazily feeding or when stretched out on their side 
flicking the dust over and through their wings. When several captive 
cocks were placed in their respective baskets close to one another, they 
would talk for an hour at a time, the tone being a most irritating, ras- 
ping drawl which seemed never to cease, but as soon as one bird got 
