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CERIORNIS SAP Ye RA.
Nepaulese Horned Pheasant.

Meleagris Satyra, Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. Dp:
Penelope Satyra, Gmel. edit. Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. p: 733.
Phasianus Bengalensis cornutus, Briss. Orn., vol. vi. Suppl. p. 14.
Satyrus, Temm. Hist. Nat. des Pig. et Gall.,
tom. il. p. 23, pl. 206.
Horned Pheasant, Edw. Nat. Hist. of Birds, p- and pl. 116.—Lath.
Turkey, Lath. Gen. Syn., vol. iv. p. 680; Suppl. p. 203.
Tragopan Satyra, Cuv. Régn. Anim., edit. 1829, tom. i. p. 479.
Satyrus, Vig. in Proc. of Comm. of Sci. and Corr.
Cent. of Birds, pl. 62.
Satyrus, Temm. Pl. Col. 043, 544.
Lathami, Reich. Syst. Av., p. xxix.
Satyra Lathami, Gray in Hardw. Ind. Zool., pl. 51.
Pennantti, Gray ibid., pl. 49.
cornuta, G. R. Gray, List of Gen. of Birds, 1848, DeAor
Ceriornis satyra, Gray, List of Spec. and Draw. of Mamm, and Birds pr. to Brit. Mus. by B. H. Hodgson, Esq.,
p. 125.—Blyth, Cat. of Birds in Mus. Asiat. Soc. Calcutta, p. 240.—Jerd. Birds of Indo vol, ue pe. lle
p- 516.—Gray, List of Spec. of Birds in Coll. Brit. Mus., part. v. Galline, p. 40.
Latham, G. R. Gray, Gen. of Birds, vol. iii. p. 499, Ceriornis, Dae
Tirriak-pho of the Lepchas. Bup of the Bhoteas. Dafia of the Bengalese.

269.—Lath. Ind. Orn. vol. ii. p. 619.

tom. 11. p. 349, et tom. iii. p. 672.—Vieill. Gal. des Ois.,

Gen. Hist., vol. viii. p. 208.

 

of Zool. Soc., part 1. (1830) pp. 122, 173.—Gould,

 

 

 

Tue Certornis Satyra, the oldest known member of the genus, is another of the splendid productions of the
southern slopes of the Himalayas, inhabiting, as it does, Nepaul, Sikhim, and Bhotan, while its near ally,
C. melanocephala, frequents the country extending from the neighbourhood of Simla to Afghanistan. We
have no knowledge of the vast hilly region eastward of Sikbim; but I think it likely that the present bird
may extend its range in that direction until it inosculates with the Chinese C. Temminchi and C. Cabot.
All the species of the genus appear to inhabit the temperate regions of the ranges in which they respectively
dwell, mostly at an elevation of from 6000 to 10,000 feet, sometimes ascending to the line of perpetual
congelation, but never descending to the hot forests at the base of the hills. As the present bird is an
inhabitant of a climate not very different from our own, it was supposed that it could be naturalized in this
country; and the apparent success of the earlier experiments seemed to justify such a conclusion; but
I believe that all these attempts will end in futility. At first, like many other eastern birds, they appear
to enjoy the change, and breed freely; a second year shows a great falling off; and the third generally
terminates their existence. As a bird for the aviary no one can be more beautiful and interesting ; it is,
indeed, a pleasure to look upon its rich colouring during the short time it will live with us; and more than
interesting to witness the display made by the male, when desirous of attracting the notice of ule female,
on the approach of the breeding-season; now it is that we see during ane momentary expansion of the
quivering wattles a display of colour unequalled for the beauty and depth of its tints ; as, however, the proud
male only now and then lowers the wattles to the extent shown in the smaller figure of tne accompanying
Plate, it becomes necessary to pay repeated visits to the aviary, or the opportunity of RIS it will be
lost. As is the case with the other members of the genus, much diversity occurs in the colouring of the
sexes. With these few somewhat general remarks, I now proceed to transcribe with acknowledgment, the
accounts given of this bird by my contemporaries :-— ee ee
«This species,” says Mr. Jerdon,” appears to be very abundant in papas and is not rare in es at
considerable elevations. I bave seen it at about 9000 feet in spring : in winter it descends to between 7000
and 8000 feet in the vicinity of Darjeeling, and perhaps lower in ihe nbenor. It as frequently snared by
the Bhoteeas and other hill-men, and brought alive for sale to Darjeeling. Its call in spring is a low, deep,
bellowing cry, sounding like waa-ung, waa-ung.” A ce
+ Daring tvo yea evidence Dajcing in the Skim Hina” ss Captain evan, had
many opportunities of observing the habits of the ie ee ee nice eo ae
and in captivity, and have often been after them gun in hand, atte ee y § Ra
: he steep forest-clad slopes of the mountains, at an elevation
2.e. sportsman. I have usually found them on t I

of from 6000 to 9000 feet above the sea. They generally prefer the neighbourhood of water, but are, 7
amongst the densest underwood, and where the greatest part o

= . always found my
far as my experience goes, alway of that zone. They are seldom seen

‘ : Bey ae oe he other trees
the vegetation consists of oak, magnolia, ilex, and the «