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EUPLOCOMUS VIEILLOTI, G. R. Gray.

Vieillots Fireback.

Gallus ignitus, Vieill. Gal. des Ois., t. 207.

Phasianus ignitus, Vieill. Ency. Méth. Orn., Part I. p. 363. ple Zove io 2:

Euplocomus ignitus, Gray, Ill. Ind. Zool., vol. i. pl. 39.

Gallophasis Vieilloti, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. iii. p. 498, Gallophasis, sp. 2.
Euplocomus Vieilloti, G. R. Gray, List of Birds in Coll. Brit. Mus., Part III. p. 26.

 

Mr. G. R. Gray has, in my opinion, very properly separated this fine bird from the Gallus ignitus of authors,
and assigned to it the specific name of Vieilloti, as no two birds can well be more distinct ; the 7gntus having
the abdomen and back rich chestnut, with half of the central tail-feathers brown ; while, as will be seen on
reference to the accompanying Plate, the same parts in the present bird are very differently coloured. The
native country of the H. Vieiloti is the Peninsula of Malacca, Sumatra, and the Indian Archipelago. The
fine aviary of the late Earl of Derby formerly contained living examples of both sexes of this fine bird, and

 

I believe his Lordship succeeded in rearing a brood from them ; but owing to the want of a congenial climate,

Vy or from some other cause, the race was not perpetuated. A like opportunity has not yet been afforded to
; E the Zoological Society, whose Gardens in the Regent’s Park have hitherto only been graced by the male; a
/ | fine example of which now (September 1852) forms part of the collection, is apparently in the best possible
f state of health, and is the individual figured on the opposite Plate. At the period just prior to the breeding
/ season, this species appears to be subject to influences of a more strongly exciting kind than is observable in

any other of the Gallinacez: not only is it restless in the highest degree, and spirited and exalted in its
carriage, but the carunculations surrounding the eye are developed to an extraordinary extent, covering the
entire face, extending upwards far above the crown of the head, and descending equally below, the colour
being a delicate czerulean blue, in the centre of which is set a full eye of the brightest scarlet. Let us hope
that the time will not be long before other examples of this fine bird will be added to the Society’s already
rich collection, and that a successful result will attend their breeding; for a finer or more ornamental bird
for our aviaries could scarcely be found.

As will be seen, a very marked difference occurs in the colours of the sexes.

The male has the crest, neck, upper part. of the back and breast deep steel-blue; wing-coverts and
feathers on the centre of the back black, passing into greenish steel-blue, forming a conspicuous shining
crescent at the tip of each feather; lower part of the rump rich deep shining red; wings very dark
brown; upper tail-coverts steel-blue; outer webs and tips of the inner webs of the four central tail-
feathers white; the remainder of the tail-feathers very dark brown; feathers of the flanks dark brown,
tipped with steel-blue and with a conspicuous streak of white down the centre; abdomen brownish black ;
carunculated orbits rich blue ; eye red; bill horn-colour ; legs and feet red.

The female has the whole of the upper surface, wings and tail chestnut-red, very minutely freckled with
a dark brown; feathers of the throat and breast dark brown, largely tipped with chestnut-red, and margined

on the sides with white; on the under surface the feathers are of a darker hue and margined all round with
white ; orbits, eye, bill, legs and feet as in the male, but not so brilliant.
The figures represent the two sexes two-thirds of the natural size.