224 LLOYDS NATURAL HISTORY. 



plumage, in clear relief against the snowy-white mist of the 

 valley far below, is a splendid sight indeed ! The aim should 

 be quick, and the charge heavy — of No. i or 2 — for if not 

 killed at once, search for a wounded bird is almost always 

 profitless toil ; and if it be only winged, pursuit is as vain as if 

 it were missed altogether. Alas ! if missed, the unlucky wight 

 sees the kaleidoscopic vision shoot like a ruby meteor down the 

 dizzy depth below, across the misty valley to settle in the 

 woods of some far distant hill — Eheu, mincjuam revisura 1 " 



Nest. — In forests or dense patches of hill-bamboo, at eleva- 

 tions of from 9,000 to 12,000 feet. 



Eggs. — Like large fowl's eggs ; nearly white, faintly tinged 

 with brownish-buff, and here and there slightly freckled wiih 

 dull lilac. Average measurements, 2*58 by 1-82 inches. 



IL THE WESTERN HORNED PHEASANT. TRAGOPAI? 

 MELANOCEPHALUM. 



Phasianus melanocephalus^ J. E. Gray, in Griff, ed. Guv. iii. 



p. 29 (1829). 

 Satyra melanocephala, J. E. Gray, 111 Ind. Zool. i. pis. 46, 48 



(1830-32). 

 Tragopan hastir.gsi^ Vigors, P. Z. S. 1830, p. 8 ; Gould, Cent. 



B. Himal. pis. 6^, 64, 65 (1832). 

 Ceriorfiis melajwcephala^ G. R. Gray, Gen. B. iii. p. 499 



(1845) \ Gould, B. Asia, vii. pi. 45 (1855) ; Elliot, Monogr. 



Phasian. i. pi. 23 (1872); Hume and Marshall, Game 



Birds of India, i. p. 144, pi. (1878); Gates, ed. Hume's 



Nests and Eggs Ind. B. iii. p. 410 (1890). 

 Tragopan melanocephalus^ Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. 



xxii. p. 273 (1893). 

 Adiilt Male. — Differs chiefly from T. satyra in having a much 

 longer black crest, tipped with dull Indian red, and the breast 

 and under-parts mostly black, with a round white spot near the 

 extremity of each feather. Fleshy horns sky-blue ; naked skin 

 round eye bright red ; gular flap purple in the middle, flesh- 



