copy his beautiful Plates in the Century of Himalayan Birds, by far the best which have ever appeared of this, and some other members of this beautiful family.

IMPEYAN LOPHOPHORUS.

Lophophorus Impeyanus.

PLATE XXII, MALE:-XXIII, FEMALE.

Lophore resplendisant, Temminck, Pigeons et Gallinacés, ii. p. 355.-Impeyan Pheasant, Latham's General History, viii. p. 210.-Phasianus Impeyanus, Index Ornithologicus, ii. 632.-Lophophorus Impeyanus, Goulds Century, Male and Female.

THE splendour and changeability of the tints upon the male of this bird, it is almost impossible to describe, either by words or the pencil. The greater proportion of the plumage is of varying hues of green, steel blue, violet and golden bronze. The texture is very dense and metallic looking, the feel soft and velvety. Upon the head there is a crest of feathers, composed of a naked shaft, with an oval tip of a similar texture with the rest of the plumage; this appears capable of erection at pleasure, but in a state of rest seems to recline or bend over the hind head. The centre of the back is pure white, following the distribution of colour which we have observed in the

Euplocomi; the tail is plane, rounded, and of a bright chestnut, clouded transversely, with bars of a duller tint. The legs are armed with strong spurs.

The female, Plate XXIII., is considerably smaller. The feathers of the head lengthening behind, the throat and fore part of the neck pure white; the rest of the plumage is of a pleasing reddish-brown, varied and mottled by spots and bars. There is no trace whatever of the resplendent colours of the male.

These splendid birds inhabit the alpine ranges of Nepaul and Himalaya, and with numerous others, almost as beautiful, enliven these stupendous solitudes; little is known of their habits, and they have not yet been brought to Britain alive. The first specimens which were seen, were procured by the exertions of Lady Jersey, and died after having lived on ship-board more than two months.

Our next illustration represents the

GENUS TRAGOPAN,-CUVIER.

THE Horned Pheasant of Edwards and Latham, for the reception of which the Baron Cuvier established his genus Tragopan, long puzzled ornithologists, and we have it accordingly changed from one place to another, and find it ranking sometimes with Phasianus, sometimes with Meleagris, and at another with Penelope. The form of these birds perhaps approach as near to the next genus, or the Guinea hen, as any other. The plumage is very ample; the tail comparatively short; but the most prominent feature about them is a loose pendent skin which hangs from the base of the lower mandibles, and can be inflated at pleasure; and on the head, behind the eyes, two lengthened protuberances, which are also capable of enlargement and erection. The females, again, are of unobtrusive plumage, and resemble those of the last genus. This small group has been now extended to four species. The first we shall notice is

THE NEPAUL OR HORNED TRAGOPAN..

Tragopan satyrus,-CUVIER.

PLATE XXIV.

Horned Pheasant, Edwards' Birds, pl. 116.—Phasianus satyrus, Temminck, Histoire Naturelle des Pigeons et Gallinacés, ii. 349.—Horned Pheasant, Latham's General History, viii. p. 208.-Tragopan satyrus, Cuvier, Regne Animal, i. p. 479.-Gould's Century.

In looking over the various ornithological works in our possession for the history of these beautiful birds, we have been able to find literally nothing; their habits are completely unknown, or not touched upon. They seem confined to the more alpine regions, reach the limit of snow, and the present species has been brought from Thibet and Nepaul; the next has been received from Himalaya. It would be of great importance to ornithologists, if notes were made regarding all the birds composing this genus, Euplocomus and Lophophorus. Until we know a little more regarding them, it is impossible to assign to them with any certainty a place in any system.

This bird is about the size of a large domestic fowl. The bare skin is of a bright bluish-purple.