The JAPAN PEACOCK (_Pavo muticus_, or _Pavo spicifer_) far exceeds its
congeners in beauty. In this bird the body is slender and the foot
high. The crest is composed of feathers having broader tips than those
in the crest of the Common Peacock. The upper throat and the head are
emerald-green; the feathers of the lower throat are adorned with blueish
green spots, having golden edges; and the emerald-green breast-feathers
gleam with gold. The belly is brownish grey, the wing-covers are dark
green, the quills brown, marbled with black and grey on the outer web, and
the secondary quills black, with a greenish gloss. The long feathers of
the upper tail-covers resemble those of the Common Peacock, but are more
gorgeous. The eye is greyish brown, the bare region around blueish green,
the cheek brownish yellow, the beak black, and the foot grey. The female
resembles her mate, but is without the train.
The earliest description of this splendid bird is given by Aldrovandus,
in the sixteenth century; this was taken from a drawing sent some years
before by the Emperor of Japan to the Pope, who gave it to his nephew, the
Marchese Tachinetti, from whom Aldrovandus received it. On the authority
of this author it had been described in several scientific works, till
at length, no further knowledge being gained concerning the species, its
actual existence began to be doubted, and Cuvier, in his "Règne Animal,"
says, "Le Paon de Japon, ou Spicifère (_P. muticus_, Linn.), n'est rien
moins qu'authentique. Le veritable Paon sauvage du Japon differe peu du
notre, par les couleurs, et point par l'aigrette."
M. Temminck, however, admitted the species, and described it principally
from the account of Le Vaillant, who had seen an example of it in a
menagerie at the Cape of Good Hope. At the time of the publication of
Temminck's work, a specimen was received in the Paris collection, and two
males were procured by Professor Jameson for the Ornithological Museum of
Edinburgh.
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The GUINEA FOWLS (_Numidæ_) are recognisable by their strongly-built
body, short wings, moderate-sized tail, very long feathers in the upper
tail-covers, moderate-sized, short-toed feet, without spurs; strong beak,
and head and neck more or less denuded of feathers, and decorated with
a crest, plume, wreath, or helmet of feathers, and lappets of skin. The
plumage of both sexes is usually dark, enlivened with white. The female is
adorned with a dress similar to that of her mate.
* * * * *
The ROYAL GUINEA FOWLS (_Acryllium_) differ in many particulars from all
their congeners. These birds have a slender body, long thin neck, small
bare head, decorated with a wreath, extending from the ears over the back
of the head, and formed of very short velvety feathers; the feathers on
the throat are lancet-shaped; the upper secondaries considerably exceed
the primaries in length, and the centre tail-feathers are longer than
those at the exterior. The short strong beak is much curved, and has the
upper mandible very decidedly hooked at its tip; the tarsi are high, and
furnished with a spur-like wart. The members of this group are natives of
Africa.