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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Tragopan

Tragopan \Trag"o*pan\, n. [NL., fr. L. tragopan a fabulous Ethiopian bird, Gr. ?.] (Zo["o]l.) Any one of several species of Asiatic pheasants of the genus Ceriornis. They are brilliantly colored with a variety of tints, the back and breast are usually covered with white or buff ocelli, and the head is ornamented with two bright-colored, fleshy wattles. The crimson tragopan, or horned pheasant ( Ceriornis satyra), of India is one of the best-known species.

Wiktionary
tragopan

n. A pheasant of the genus ''Tragopan''.

WordNet
tragopan

n. brilliantly colored Asian pheasant having wattles and two fleshy processes on the head

Wikipedia
Tragopan

Tragopan is a genus of bird in the family Phasianidae. These birds are commonly called "horny pheasants" because of two brightly colored, fleshy horns on their heads that they can erect during courtship displays. The scientific name refers to this, being a composite of tragus (billy goat) and the ribald half-goat deity Pan (and in the case of the satyr tragopan, adding Pan's companions for even more emphasis). Their habit of nesting in trees is unique among phasianids.

There are five recognized species of tragopans. Tragopans are endangered.

  • Western tragopan Tragopan melanocephalus
  • Satyr tragopan Tragopan satyra
  • Temminck's tragopan Tragopan temminckii
  • Blyth's tragopan Tragopan blythii
  • Cabot's tragopan Tragopan caboti

Usage examples of "tragopan".

Gideon Spilett, with a stone cleverly and vigorously thrown, killed one of these tragopans, on which Pencroft, made hungry by the fresh air, had cast greedy eyes.

March, after a hasty breakfast, which consisted solely of the roasted tragopan, the engineer wished to climb again to the summit of the volcano, so as more attentively to survey the island upon which he and his companions were imprisoned for life perhaps, should the island be situated at a great distance from any land, or if it was out of the course of vessels which visited the archipelagoes of the Pacific Ocean.

They were tragopans, ornamented by a pendant skin which hangs over their throats, and by two small, round horns, planted behind the eyes.

Gideon Spilett, with a stone cleverly and vigorously thrown, killed one of these tragopans, on which Pencroft, made hungry by the fresh air, had cast greedy eyes.

But they had no lack of provisions, which was lucky, for there were no animals on the shore, though birds, on the contrary, abound—jacamars, couroucous, tragopans, grouse, lories, parrots, cockatoos, pheasants, pigeons, and a hundred others.

But they had no lack of provisions, which was lucky, for there were no animals on the shore, though birds, on the contrary, abounded—jacamars, couroucous, tragopans, grouse, lories, parrots, cockatoos, pheasants, pigeons, and a hundred others.