The RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGES, their allies the FRANCOLINS, and the GREY PARTRIDGES are all ground-birds; the TREE-PARTRIDGES, as the name implies, are not, or at least less completely so hence their mention here. They are natives of the Indo-Chinese countries, and the islands of Java, Borneo, and Formosa.

The QUAIL is a little-known British bird, very like a small partridge in appearance. Enormous numbers, Professor Newton tells us, " are netted on the Continent, especially in the spring migration. The captives are exposed in the poulterers' shops, confined in long, cloth-covered cages, with a feeding-trough in front." The bulk "of these are males, which are the first to arrive, and advantage is taken of this circumstance by the bird-catchers, who decoy hundreds into their nets by imitating the call-note of the female. It has been stated that in the small island of Capri, in the Bay of Naples, 160,000 have been netted in a single photoby w. P. Dando, F.Z.H.] [Regent's season, and even larger numbers are on record." An HIMALAYAN MONAL. is quite soberly cJad.idea of the Vast numbers which travel together in The female of the monal

photoby w. P. Dando, F.Z.H.) (Regent's HIMALAYAN MONAL.

of the World404 The Living Animals

migration may be gathered from Canon Tristram' s statement that in Algeria, in April, he found the ground covered with quails for an extent of many acres at daybreak, where on the preceding afternoon not one was to be seen. These are the birds which were so eagerly seized by the Israelites as a welcome change in the diet which had become so monotonous in the days of their early wanderings. The story, so vividly told in the Book of Exodus, is, of course, familiar to all. The quail lays from nine to fifteen eggs in a feeble apology for a nest. It is said that the curious metallic note " clic-lic-lic " gave origin to the Spanish castanet, for these birds are much esteemed in Spain, being kept in cages for the pleasure their notes afford.

Photo by C. Rtid] [ Wishaie, N.S. There are five or six other species of quail RED COCHINS. closely related to the above. The British bird

The wings in the typical Cochins are so short as to be useless. enjoys an enormous range, being found almost everywhere in Europe, Asia, and Africa. The so-called AMERICAN QUAILS some forty species in number are generally regarded as belonging to a distinct group. That ornament to all rural scenery, the PEEASANT, is said to have been introduced from the banks of the river Phasis, in Colchis, Transcaucasia, by the Romans at least, the original form of pheasant was. Late during the eighteenth century a Japanese and a Chinese form were introduced, and these have freely interbred with the original form, so that pure-bred specimens of any of the three are rare. full flight has been estimated at thirty-eight The speed of a pheasant on the wing in miles an hour. Occasionally pheasants will take to the water, and are said to swim well. is prodigious. In 1883, The number of pheasants reared by hand at the present day Professor Newton tells us, 134,000 pheasants' eggs were sold from one estate in Norfolk, while 9,700 fully grown birds were killed upon it. In olden times pheasants were taken in snares or nets, by hawking, and by the cross-bow; but on the introduction of guns these methods were superseded. Yet another form of pheasant has been introduced into Britain of late years. This is REEVES'S PHEASANT, a truly magnificent bird, with a tail fully 5 feet long in adult males. These birds also interbreed with the more common forms, but not freely. Beautiful as these pheasants undoubtedly are, they are eclipsed by many of their relatives. Among the most noteworthy of these we may notice the magnificent TRAGOPANS. Rich in coloration of the feathers, these birds have

Photo by C. Reid] [ Wiihaw, N.B. added an additional feature in brilliantly coloured BROWN LEGHORN COCK. A This breed has been derived by crossing White Leghorns with Game- areas of bare skin on the head and neck, which fowl. are furthermore rendered conspicuous by being

Photo by C. Reid] [Wishaw, N.B.

SILVER-SPANGLED HAMBURGS.

This bird apparently originated in England.

Photo by C. Reid] [Wishaw, N.B.

DARK BRAMAS.

The Brama is an Asiatic breed.

405

of the World406 The Living Animals developed with " horns " and wattles. These " horns " can be erected at will, a process which causes them at the same time to be greatly increased in size. The bird, with a proud consciousness of his beauty, displays his charms to the full when wooing. Mr. Bartlett tells us that, "after walking about rather excitedly, he places himself in front of the female, with the body slightly crouching upon the legs, and the tail bent downwards; the head is then violently jerked downwards, and the horns and wattle become conspicuous. The wings have is fully displayed. The whole of thea flapping motion, and the bright red patch on them neck appears to be larger than usual during this action, so do the horns, which, moreover, vibrate with every motion. This scene is concluded by the bird suddenly drawing himself up to his full height, with his wings expanded and quivering, the horns erect, and the wattles fully displayed." Equally splendid, some think more so, are the four species of pheasant known as MONALS or IMPEYAN PHEASANTS. The plumage in this case looks like burnished metal rather than feathers

Photo by C. Reid] [ Wishaw, N.B.

SILVER WYANDOTTE HEN WITH PHEASANT CHICKS.

This is an American breed, derived by crossing with the Brama.

The head is adorned with a crest either of long or beautifully curled feathers. Monals are found in the same haunts as the tragopans the highest forest regions of the Himalaya.

But the most gorgeous of all the Pheasant Tribe are perhaps the GOLDEN PHEASANTS. The crimson body and exquisitely beautiful collar of gold barred with black constitute a perfectly royal livery. Since, however, these are amongst the commonest occupants of the aviary, we need not describe them further here. They are natives of China and Tibet.

JUNGLE-FOWL AND THEIR DOMESTICATED DESCENDANTS.

These birds, of which there are four distinct species, are close allies of the domesticated fowls: the descent of these latter, indeed, is traced from the red jungle-fowl of the Himalaya and Central India. The characteristic features of the group are the naked head, bearing the familiar wattles and fleshy comb, and the formidable spurs on the legs.

The varieties of the domesticated jungle-fowl are numerous. The pugnacity of the

The Game-birds and Rails 407

Photo ly C. Reid] [Wiihaw, fl.B. PEACOCK. Note the perfectly symmetrical distribution of the " eyes" ia the " train.

members known as the G-AME-BREED is well known, and in the days of cock-fighting large rival game-cocks pitted onesums of money changed hands over the fierce battles waged by against the other the game-cock, it should be remarked, being the little-modified descendant of the red jungle-cock. The modern game-cock is purely a show-bird, breeders having changed the type by if matched inselecting characters which would render the bird quite unable to hold its own battle with one of the original breed.

Very different from the wild ancestor is the huge, much-feathered COCHIN. This was introduced into England, not from Cochin-China, as is popularly supposed, but from Shanghai, some fifty years ago. At that time this bird enjoyed the reputation of being wonderfully is apparently responsibleprolific. This is, alas! no longer a feature of the breed. The show-pen for this, attention having been paid rather to external appearance than to useful qualities.

The PLYMOUTH EOCK and DORKING are both well-known breeds. The former is of American origin, made by crossing Cochins with a native breed the Dominique.

The BLACK SPANISH, MINORCAS, LEGHORNS, ANDA-

LUSIANS, etc., constitute what are known as the Mediterranean breeds. They are noted for their great prolificacy. This has been gained by carefully breeding from the most productive birds, but with the result that the instinct to sit has been lost entirely. This is a matter of no consequence, however, as when, chicks are required there are plenty of "broody" Photo by L. Mediand, F.Z.S.] [Nort hens of other breeds which can be made to undertake BACK VIEW OP PEACOCK. the duties of foster-mother. Xote the true tail, like a stout fan. supporting the train.

of the World408 The Living Animals

The HAMBURGS are of two kinds the SPANGLED, which is of English, and the PENCILLED, of Continental origin. is the POLISH. It figures A very old breed often in the pictures of the old Dutch masters. One of its chief characteristics is the huge crest of feathers rising from the crown of the head. The development of this crest has had a very extraordinary effect upon the conformation of the bones of the skull, entirely altering the shape of the brain-case.

Perhaps the most artificial of all breeds of fowl are the SEBRIGHT BANTAMS. These are cross of a between the resultdiminutive birds, " " a feathers bantam. Photo by Scholastic Photo. Co.] [Parson's Green. laced andthe Polish with

BLACK-CHESTED CRESTED GUINEA-FOWL.

The feathers of this cross are beautifully At Durban these birds are often hawked by Kaffir hunters, the flesh "laced" that is, they are white, edged with being very delicate and much esteemed. black. Another interesting diminutive breed is the JAPANESE BANTAM. The cock carries its tail, which is long, remarkably high, giving a very quaint effect. This breed is further interesting, since it furnishes us with an instance is black and the bodyof the breeder's power of localising colour by selection. The tail white. Yet another interesting Japanese fowl is the remarkable long-tailed breed in which the tail-coverts grow continuously, attaining a length of from 9 feet to, it is said, 18 feet. The birds are kept for show purposes. The greater part of their lives is passed tethered on high perches. Once a day they are taken down for exercise, when the long feathers are carefully rolled up and securely fastened out of harm's way.

THE ARGUS-PHEASANT AND PEACOCK AND

THEIR ALLIES.

The ARGUS-PHEASANT most certainlj demands notice, on account of the extraordinary development of the wing-quills, which are nearly a yard long, and the wondrous beauty of the pattern thereon. This pattern takes the form of a number of eyes, so shaded as to give the appearance, when fully displayed, of a number of balls lying in a socket. These enormous quills are borne only by the male, and used, like the ornamental feathers of its allies, in captivating the female. When fully displayed, the two wings are spread out to form one huge fan, producing an effect which words cannot adequately describe. The argus-pheasants are found in the forests of Siam, the Malay Peninsula, and Sumatra, and are excessively wary birds. Photo ly W. P. Dando, F.Z.H.] [Regent's Park. The PEACOCK is tOO Well known to need

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