fcaly; the colour a dark brown : toes long ; between them, at the
bafe, a flight membrane : at the back part of the legs a thick,
ihort fpur.
The female is fmaller than the male, and of a lefs elegant lhape; Female.
the length twenty-one inches. The bill, and bare fpace round the
eye, as in the male: the general colour of the plumage brown ;
the middle o f each feather paler, or buff-coloured, mottled and
barred with dark brown, appearing not greatly different from the
back of the Great Eared Ow l: beneath the eye is a broad 'dulky
white band : the prime quills are black ; the fecond quills barred
black and ferruginous : the tail very fhort, hardly exceeding the
quills in length; the colour o f the feathers o f it fimilar to the
back : the legs as in the male, but furnifhed with a blunt knob in
place of the fpur.
Thefe birds inhabit India, but in no great plenty, being Place andM a m -
brought from the hills in the northern parts of Hindoftan, to Calcutta,
as curiofities. Lady Impey attempted, with great probability
of fuccefs, to bring over with her fome o f them to England
; but, after living on board the fhip in health for two months,
they caught a diforder from the reft o f the poultry, fimilar to the
fmall-pox, and died in confequence. The food given them,
during the paffage, was rice in the hulk. Sir Elijah informs me,
that thefe birds are known in India by the name of Monaul, which
is fooliftily tranflated Mouth-Piece-, that the male is called by
fome the Golden Fowl. They bear cold, but are impatient of
heat. The cock was never obferved to crow, but had a ftrong,
hoarfe cackle, not unlike that of a Pheafant. Specimens o f
the male birds are now in the Leverian Mufeum.
Suppl, E e S I Z E