730 DR. J. MURIE ON THE HORNED TRAGOPAN. [June 18, 



*' Hab. Forests of the low hills in the southern province, where it 

 affects principally the creepers which entwine the trunks of the trees ; 

 resorts also to small branches of low trees. 



: Food. Seeds and pollen from the flowers of creepers. 

 Note. A faint monosyllablic chirp like ' tse.' " 



Mr. Sclater remarked that these birds appeared to belong to a new 

 species of the genus Prionochilus, for which, as Mr. Legge had pro- 

 posed no name, Mr. Sclater suggested the specific term vincens, 

 after one of the names of its discoverer. The discovery of a species of 

 this Malayan group in Ceylon was quite new, and of great interest. 



a 



The following papers were read 



1. On the Cranial Appendages and Wattles of the Horned 

 Tragopan. By Dr. James Murie, F.L.S., F.G.S., &c. 



[Eeceived May 25, 1872.] 



(Plates LX. & LXI.) 



1. As to Display during Courtship. 



Most persons have witnessed and well know the grand display of 

 the Turkey-Cock, when he struts majestically, with erect tail, blood- 

 red throat, distended wattles and caruncula, the very essence of un- 

 bounded pride, anger, or lust, reaching its climax in a ludicrous 

 gobble. The Pigeon, without obvious vascular turgidity or change 

 of colour of the head and neck, woes his mate with dilated crop, 

 rapidly utters an amatory note, and wheels himself about, finally rears 

 up to full height, and rushes along, sweeping the ground with stiff 

 outspread tail. Less known but equally characteristic are the habits 

 of the Bustards, and especially the Australian species, which, during 

 sexual excitement, develops an enormous wind-bag in its throat and 

 neck. This it blows out even till almost reaching the ground, and, 

 throwing back its head and forward its tail till they meet, the bloated 

 bird stutters along, the very picture of stupid vanity *. 



A sight which few have witnessed, yet almost a spectacle in its way 

 as far as concerns the economy of birds, is the sexual advances of the 

 male of the Horned Tragopan ( Ceriornis satyra) during the breeding- 

 season. This has been pictorially represented by two of our best 

 zoological artists f, and lucidly described by more than one competent 

 observer. I have myself, on more than one occasion, seen the male birds 

 in the Society's Gardens momentarily and partially erect their horns ; 

 but never was fortunate in being present at what may be termed a 

 full performance. Mr. Bartlett has assured me it was a perfect sur- 

 prise to him, when first he saw the Tragopan suddenly flash up a 



* Vide P. Z. S. 1868, pi. sxsvi. 



t Wolf's ' Zoological Sketches,' 2nd ser. pi. xxsix., and Mr. T. W. Wood, pi. 

 in ' Intellectual Observer,' Sept. 1863. 



