RANDOM NOTES ON NATURAL HISTORY. 



87 



ing mahogany brown color characteristic of 

 the larvae of the ElateridcB. The second 

 year finds them the common wire-worms. 

 In June and July of the third year, they 

 complete their growth. 



The larva now swells, the skin becomes 

 greatly distended; at length it ruptures 

 longitudinally and the perfect insect issues. 

 I would state for the benefit of farmers that 

 fall plowing will not destro}' these pests. 

 I have this winter subjected the tiny larvae 

 to a cold of fifteen degrees below zero, 

 without the slightest injurious effect. — 

 Worcester County Naturalist. 



The Tragopans, or Horned Pheasants 



(Ceriornis) , 



Have a powerful body, moderate-sized wing, 

 and short, broad tail, composed of eighteen 

 feathers. The bill is verj- short and rather 

 weak, while the strong, flat foot is furnished 

 with a spur. Two small, fleshy, horn-like 

 appendages are situated behind the bare 

 patch around the eye, and the naked skin 

 on the tliroat is prolonged so as to form a 

 pair of pendant lappets. The rich plum- 

 age of the male lengthens into a crest at 

 the crown of the head, and is most beauti- 

 ful both in its hues and markings, whilst 

 that of the female is comparatively of 

 sombre tint. 



THK SIKKIM HORNED PHEASANT. 



The SiKKiM Horned Pheasant (Cerior- 

 nis Satyra) is of a bright carmine-red on 

 the brow, crown of the head, nape, and 

 shoulders ; a broad band, that passes from 

 the temples to the back of the head, and a 

 narrow line around the lappet at the throat, 

 are also of the same glowing hue ; the up- 

 per back, breast and belly are red, enliv- 

 ened with white spots edged with black ; 

 the mantle and upper tail-covers are brown, 

 but each feather is delicatel}' striped with 

 black, and has a black spot at its extremit3' ; 

 some of the feathers on the upper wing- 

 covers are also dotted with red, the dark- 

 browa quills are bordered and streaked with 

 dull yellow ; the tail-feathers are black, 

 striped with dark brownish-\-elIow. 



The eye is deep brown, and the foot 3"el- 

 lowish-brown ; the flesh}' appendages and 

 lappets are blue, spotted here and there 

 with orange-yellow. The male is twenty- 



seven inches long, the wing measures eleven 

 inches and a half, and the tail eleven inches. 

 The plumage of the female is principall}' 

 brown, darkest on the back, and enlivened 

 by numerous black and red spots and 

 streaks, as well as by the white shafts and 

 dots of the feathers. Her length is only 

 twenty-four inches, and that of her tail ten 

 inches. 



This species, which was the first known 

 to naturalists, inhabits the Nepaul and Sik- 

 kim Himalayas, being more abundant in 

 the former. "I have," sa3-s Jerdon, '' seen 

 it in spring at an elevation of about 9,000 

 feet above the level of the sea ; and in win- 

 ter it descends to between 7,000 and 8,000 

 feet in the vicinity of Darjeeling, and per- 

 haps lower in the interior. It is frequently 

 snared by the Bhotees and other Hill-men, 

 and brought alive for sale at Darjeeling. Its 

 call, which I have heard in spring, is a low, 

 deep, bellowing cr}', sounding like " waa- 

 ung-waa-ung." Its general habits are no 

 doubt similar to those of the C. melano- 

 cephala, which have been more accurately 

 described." 



THE JEWAR, OR WESTERN HORNED PHEASANT. 



The Jewar, or Western Horned Pheas- 

 ant (Ceriornis melanocephala) ^ differs from 

 the species last mentioned princii)ally in the 

 predominance of black in the coloration of 

 the under side. In the male the feathers on 

 the top of the head are black, with red 

 tips ; the nape, upper part of the throat, and 

 shoulder are scarlet ; the feathers on the 

 mantle dark brown, ornamented with very 

 delicate black lines, and, towards their 

 extremities, with small black-edged white 

 spots. The feathers on the breast and belly 

 are black, spotted with white, and slightly 

 shaded with red ; the quills are pale black, 

 spotted and edged with brown ; the tail is 

 black, striped with brown and white at tiie 

 ends of the feathers. The eye is nut-lirowu, 

 the bare patch that surrounds it bilLClil red, 

 while the fleshy horns are pale blue ; tiie 

 lappets on the throat are purple, "lotted 

 with light blue at the sides, and bordered 

 with flesh-pink ; the beak is horn-grey, and 

 the foot reddish. The male is from twenty- 

 seven to twenty-eight inches long, and from 

 thirty five to thirty six broad; the wing 

 measures ten inches and a half; and the 

 tail ten inches. The plumage of the female 



