56 A MONOGRAPH OF THE PHEASANTS 



the bird once realizes the full danger and retreats into the depth of some dense bamboo 

 jungle there is no hope of getting at it. I have seen such growths which no man or 

 dog could penetrate, the stems sometimes almost touching each other at their base, 

 so that one's shoe would slip down and become locked between them a foot or more 

 from the ground, making progress impossible. 



CAPTIVITY 



Satyr Tragopans were bred in captivity as long ago as 1863, and in the London 

 Zoo alone they have been reared at least a dozen times. To-day, however, over half a 

 century later, we must admit that they have not become established anywhere, be it 

 in zoological garden or private aviary. The birds pair readily, the hen lays and is 

 a faithful sitter, and with moderate care the chicks grow to maturity and even breed 

 in turn. But in the long run their viability in captivity is poor. Mitchell's figures 

 show that, of twenty-one individuals of this species, the average length of life is 

 only a year and seven months, while the maximum length of life recorded of a 

 captive bird is four years and ten months. There seems to be no disease to which 

 these birds are especially susceptible, but owing to the radical changes to which 

 our low altitudes and wide range of summer and winter temperature subject 

 them, their resisting power is lowered, and they succumb often to some secondary 

 affliction. 



Next to Temminck's tragopan the Satyr is most commonly seen in captivity, but 

 many more birds find their way to England and Germany than to America. Dealers 

 in New York charge from fifty to one hundred and twenty-five dollars a pair, according 

 to the demand at the time. 



As regards egg-laying, Satyr Tragopans in captivity vary from mid April to late 

 in June, and I have known a single egg to be deposited in August. In this case it 

 is of interest to note that there was considerable excess of pigmentation — the reddish 

 spots being of such size that they were almost confluent. 



The time of incubation has been reported at from twenty-four to twenty-eight days. 

 My single personal record is of a chick which began to chip the shell on the twenty- 

 sixth day, and had it not died would have emerged early on the twenty-seventh day. 

 The majority of the dates of hatching in captivity extend from May 28th to July 24th, 

 and in all probability represent the normal seasonal average of wild birds. The eggs 

 are deposited two days apart. 



As in all birds, individuality is strongly marked in the hens, and while one will sit 

 faithfully, another bird will neglect either its eggs or young. There is no difficulty, 

 however, about hatching the chicks under common hens. There appears to be no 

 account of the nesting of this species. Eggs laid in captivity measure from 61 to 

 67 mm. in length and 40 to 42 in breadth; an average of 64 x 41 mm. The back- 

 ground is dull white or buffy, variously marked with pale lilac, reddish ochre or dark 

 brown. They may be evenly speckled all over, or blotched irregularly around the 

 centre or the larger end. I have seen one or two eggs in which the markings were 

 almost confluent. 



We have some interesting data in regard to the importation of living Satyr 



