WESTERN TRAGOPAN 77 



ending in a subterminal bubble or drop — a separate round ocellus framed in black. 

 The general effect is most remarkable, as if scores of drops of white paint were flowing 

 down the breast, coursing in concentric, regular lines, but each droplet separate, and 

 leaving a tiny trail behind it. On the flanks these become much larger, irregular, and 

 there is no shaft-streak. Birds of this age show the following average of measurements : 

 bill from nostril, 14 ; wing, 266 ; tail, 205 ; tarsus, 74 ; middle toe and claw, 74 mm. 



EARLY HISTORY AND SYNONYMY 



This bird, under the name of Phasianus melanocephalus, or the Black-headed 

 Pheasant, was described in 1829 by Gray, in Edward Griffith's edition of Cuvier, from a 

 specimen said to have come from Almorah. A year or two later the bird was figured 

 in Illustrations of Indian Zoology as a rather weird creature with two horns curving 

 high above the head like those of a serow, yellow eyes and lappets. Another plate, 

 representing a young male, was supposed to be the female. 



Except that M. Vigors, in the very first volume of the London Zoological Society's 

 '' Proceedings," re-described the bird as Tragopan Hastingsi, this species has not been 

 troubled with useless specific synonymy. 



Synonymy — Tragopan melanocephalus 



Phasianus melanocephalus Gray, in Griff, ed. Cuvier, III. 1829, p. 29. 



Satyra melanocephala J. E. Gray, III. Indian Zool, I. 1830-32, pis. 46, 48 ; G. R. Gray, List of Birds, Pt. III. 

 Gall., 1844, p. 28. 



Tragopan hastingsi Vigors, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1830, p. 8 ; Gould, Cent. Birds Himal, 1832, pis. 63, 64, 65 [text] ; 

 Jardine, Nat. Lib., Orn., IV. 1834, p. 224, pis. XXV, XXVI ; Hutton, Jour. Asiatic Soc. Bengal, XVII. Pt. 2, 1848, 

 p. 695 ; Schinz, Nat. Vog., 1853, p. 147, pi. 70; Fitz , Atl. Nat. Vog., 1864, fig. 232. 



Ceriornis melanocephala Gray, Genera Birds, III. 1845, p. 499; id. Cat. Hodgs., ed. I. 1846, p. 125 ; Blyth, 

 Cat. Mus. As. Soc, 1849, P- 240 ; Gould, Birds Asia, VII. 1855, pi 45 ; Adams, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1858, p. 498 ; id. 

 Proc. Zool. Soc, 1859, P- 1S5 ; Jerdon, B. Ind., III. 1863, p. 517; Sclater, List of Phas., 1863, p. 10, pi. 10; Gray, 

 List Gallinae Brit. Mus., 1867, p. 41 ; v. Pelzeln, Ibis, 1868, p. 320 ; Beavan, Ibis, 1868, p. 380 ; Sclater, Proc. Zool. 

 Soc, 1870, p. 164; Gray, Hand-list Birds, II. 1870, p. 262; Elliot, Mon. Phas., I. 1872, pi. 23 ; Hume, N. and E. 

 Ind. Birds, 1873, p. 522; Brooks, Stray Feathers, III. 1875, p. 256; Marshall, B. Nest. Ind., 1877, p. 59; Hume & 

 Marshall, Game B. Ind., I. 1878, p. 144, pi. ; Marshall, Ibis, 1884, p. 422 ; Oates, ed. Hume's Nests and Eggs, III. 

 1890, p. 410. 



Cereor?iis melanocephala Ornithognomon, The Field, XXVII. 1866, p. 295. 



Tragopan melanocephalus Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., XXII. 1893, p. 273 ; Blanford, Fauna Brit. 

 Ind. Birds, IV. 1898, p. 100; Oates, Game-birds India, I. 1898, p. 245 ; Nehrkorn, Katalog der Eiersammlung, 

 1899, P- 192; Sharpe, Hand-list Birds, I. 1899, p. 33; Oates, Cat. Eggs Brit. Mus., I. 1901, p. 51 ; Ghigi, Mem. R. 

 Ace. Sci. Inst. Bologna, (5), X. 1903, p. 404, tav. II ; Ward, Jour. Bombay Nat. His. Soc, XVII. 1906, p. 944. 



Tragopan melanocephalum Ogilvie-Grant, Hand-book Game-birds, I. 1895, p. 224. 



