P H VSIDU; I [Gl ■
P H A f l J )U8 | i \ IGE R.
IÌLMÌK PHASID.
PHASIDUS WGER, Cass Pr.0^ Acad s j g ' e t J t a H * * T j , Eist Gal (1887) p. 48.—ScUt Proe.
Zool. Soc. (1863) p. 126.'
H ab. Western Africa, vicinity of Cape Lopez (Du C h a il lu ) .
T h is curious bird seems to be a kind of connecting link between the Guinea-fowls and the Agelastes meleagrides, and has been
placed by Mr. Cassin, by whom it was first described, in a separate genus by itself. It is a native of Western Africa, and was
discovered by M. Du Chaillu, whose account o f it is the only information we possess.
Mr. Cassin, in the ‘ Proceedings of the Philadelphia Academy,’ where the species is described, says:—“ This is the most remarkable
bird yet discovered by M. Du Chaillu. It belongs to the same group as Numida and Agelastes, but is more intimately allied to
the latter, o f which th e |||jly known form is Agelastes meleagrides, Temminck,'a lso'in the Museum of this Academy, through the
liberality of Professor Temminck, by whom it was first introduced to the notice o f naturalists.
“ According to M. Du Chaillu, this interesting bird was met with by him during the samé journey and about the same distance
from the coast as the preceding [Numida plumiferd], and, like it, was unknown to the inhabitants a t the Cape. He obtained but a
jin g le specimen, which is labelled as a male. The general appearance o f ttíi* bird is not unlike that of Gallop/iasis purpureas,
Gray, from which, however, it is generically distinct.”
When M. Du Chaillu first met with this species in the woods he thought he saw before him a doinestic Fowl. “ The natives
have noticed the resemblance too, as their name for it shows— couba iga, signifying wild-fowj. Wild they are, and most difficult
to approach—and also rare, even in the forests, where they are at home. They are not found a t all on the sea-coast, and do not
appear until the traveller reaches the range of fifty or sixty miles from the coast. Even there they are so ra re that, though I
looked out for them 'constantly, I killed but three in all my expeditions. They are not gregarious, like the Guinea-fowl, but wander
through the woods—a male and one g a f most, two females in company. They are very watchful, and fly off to retreats in
the woods a t the slightest alarm.”
General colour o f the plumage black, finely and obscurely mottled with brownish, and rather lighter on the abdomen. Head
and neck naked; in some specimens the skin covered with short black feathers. A line of black feathers from the base of the
bill to the occiput. Naked portions of head and neck, I presume, would be red. Tarsi and feet horn-colour. Bill also hom-colour ;
the edges o f the mandibles very light, almost white.
The figure is o f the natural size.