1879.] PHEASANTS IN THE society's GARDKNS. 11/ 



their age. The hen lays two eggs only at a sitting, and begins to 

 sit at once ; but if the first two eggs are removed and placed under 

 a bantam hen for hatching, in about a month or six weeks she lays 

 two more eggs. These second two I have usually allowed her to sit 

 on herself. The time of her sitting is twenty-one days. 



In the laying of two eggs only at a sitting the Peacock Pheasant 

 resembles the Argus. 



The young Polyplectrons are not so strong as the young of the 

 Argus : the young of the Argus are able to mount a high perch in 

 a few days ; but the young Polyplectrons are not able to do so until 

 they are a month or six weeks old. 



The male Polyplectron takes no part in sitting or charge of the 

 young birds. 



It is difficult to distinguish the sex of the young Polyplectrons 

 until they are six or seven months old ; by that time the males are 

 seen to be a little larger than the females. They are also a little 

 lighter in colour, and have a lighter-coloured eye. 



The egg of the Polyplectron chinquis (Plate VIII. fig. 2) is more 

 like those of the true Pheasants, being of a uniform pale stone- 

 colour, and measuring about 2-0 inches by I -45. 



3. The Temminck's Tragopan (Ceriornis temmincH). 



Males of this Tragopan were acquired in 1864 and 1866 ; and in 

 1867 we acquired our first female. The first young birds were 

 hatched in May 1869. The following are our head keeper's notes 

 on the mode of incubation. 



Report on the Temminck's Tragopan. By B. Misselbrook. 



The old birds begin to lay early in April, and lay seven or eight 

 eggs ; they make their nest, if possible, off the ground. I therefore 

 used always to place an open box for the hens to lay in, which box 

 they readily take to, and, after laying the usual complement of eggs, 

 begin to sit and hatch out young birds. The male bird at times 

 takes a share in sitting on the eggs. The period of incubation is 

 twenty-eight days. 



The young birds are not so strong as the young Argus, and they 

 are not able to fly until they are four or five weeks old. At tha"t 

 time they will mount a perch along with the parent bird, and, if 

 allowed, would roost outside along with the old bird for the night. 



The egg of Ceriornis temmincTci (Plate VIII. fig. 3) is of a clear 

 buff-colour freckled with reddish spots, and measures 2-05 inches by 

 about r6. 



4. The Horned Tragopan {Ceriornis satyra). 



Of this species we received our first specimens from the Babu 

 Rajendra Mullick in 1863 '. They bred the same year, and again in 

 1865, after which we, unfortunately, lost most of our stock. 

 ' See P. Z. S. 1863, p. 104. 



