xxi.–on a collection of birds from foochow
TRANSCRIPT
On a Collection of Birds from FOOC~LO~O. 215
resort. Humming-birds are numerons, there being two kinds on the island, viz. ~ u s t ~ ~ ~ u ~ u s fernankrLsis and E. gnleritus. Fish are very plentiful ; any number of cray- fish may be caught ; and there is splendid covert for game if introduced.
In concluding these notes, I regret exceedingly that they are so meagre, and that they principally refer to sea-birds, which is not surprising, considering that my life leads me mostly amongst them. It is true that in the necessarily short visits to niaiiy places I have been unable to collect or make observations except in a cursory manner ; but 1 still reproach myself with many opportunities lost, and I would especially warn any one collecting against procrastination in shooting specimens. Nothing in this case is so fatal as to put off to to-morrow what can be done today.
I have to tender my sincere thanks to iMr. Howard Saunders for kindly revising and assisting me in these notes *.
XXI.--On u Collection of Birds jkom Foochow. By F. W. STYAN, F.Z.S.
THE following notes refer to part of a collection made by Mr. J. D. de la Touche, between December 1883 and September 1886, in the neighbourhood of Foochow, south China. The portion sent home consists entirely of land- birds, and contains no game-birds, Pigeons, Crows, Jays, Starlings, or Finches except Buntings - families which, together with the water-birds, will perhaps be examined and described at a later date. The cases already received contain 828 skins, belonging to 143 species, and comprising five which have not hitherto been recorded from the mainland of China. Of these, Nisaetus fasciatus and Haliaetus leuco- gaster are entirely new to the Chinese avifauna; Graucalus rex-pineti and Alcippe morrisonia have only been found in Formosa ; and Hemixus castanonotw was supposed to be
* [The indebtedness is 011 the other aide, for an interesting collectioii of specimens of moat of the species mentioned in thk ptlper.-H. S.]
216 Mr. F. W. Styan on a
confined to the island of Hainan. The rare Microhierax sinensis and Lanius fuseatus are also represented.
Mr. de la Touche has k i d y sent me his notes, which have been compiled with great care, largely enhancing the value of the collection, and from these I have quoted freely. The following are the principal localities men- tioned :-
Ching Feng Lung, a village situated high up among the hills, some 100 miles N.W. of Foochow.
Laokee, the wildfowl shooting-ground south of Wofou Island, a t the mouth of the river.
Lien Chiang hsien, a city on the banks of a river which flows into the sea c1 few miles north of the river Min.
Peling, the hill-country about 8 miles north of Foochow, the elevation being from 1000-2000 feet.
Shinkow, a village on the Min, about 60 miles W. of Poochow.
1. MERULA MANDARINA (Bp.). “Abundant in the district.”-J. D. T.
2. MERULA CHRYSOLAUS (Temm.). ‘‘ I found it abundant last April, in small flocks in wooded
3. MERULA HORTULORUM (Scl.). (‘ Seems rather uncommon here; I shot two in the winter
1884-85, and bought a third from a native, February 1886.”
.
places.”-J. D. T.
-J. D. T.
4. MERULA OBSCURA (Gm.) . ‘‘ Very common in November 1884. I have specimens
shot at Peling early in May, but have not seen i t in the plains during spring.”-J. D. T.
j. MEKULA PALLIDA (Gm.). Winters here, and is extremely common during March
and April.”-J. D. T. 6. MERULA XAUMANNI (Temm.). <‘ Abundant in March ; have shot one 30th November.”-
J. D. T.
Collectiorb of Birds from Foociiow. 217
7. MERULA FUSCATA (Pall.). “ Extremely abundant a t the end of February and through-
out March.”-J. D. 1’.
8. MERULA CARDIS (l’emui.). Three males, showing well tlie changes in the plumage,
and a female. a. (16th November.) An adult male, but with a touch
of white on the chin and a good deal of chestnut remaining on the under wing-coverts, though the axillaries are grey. TJnder tail-coverts washed on the sides with dusky grey, as also the flanks. Spots on breast and sides large but faint.
p . (4th November.) Not so fully adult. General colour blacker; traces of white ou chin and throat; under wing- coverts chestnut, axillaries partially S O ; no grey wash on flanks and under tail-coverts, which are pure white; spots on breast numerous, very large and black, and extending down over the flanks.
‘y. (3rd April.) Younger male. General colour browner ; neck, breast, and flanks spotted with dusky brown; faint touch of rufous on sides of body; under wing-coverts and axillaries chestnut, the latter with grey centres.
r c Not common in the neighbourhood.”-J. D. T.
9. GEOCICHLA VARIA (Pall.). February.
10. MYIOPHONEUS CERULEUS (Scop.) . u A common resident among the hills.”-J. D. T. Three males and three females. I n two of the former the
tail, as is usually tlie case, is considerably longer than that of the females; in the other male it is about equal to theirs.
11. MONTICOLA SOLITARIA (Briss.) . 12. MONTICOLA CYANUS (Linn.). A series of 22 skins belonging to these two species, which
undoubtedly interbreed in South China. Of these, 9 are males of M . solitaria in various stages of plumage ; 2 are females,
218
probably of the same species; 4 are adult males of M. cy- anus; 1 is an intermediate form, the M. aflnis of Blyth; the last is n male Billed in February, and has a blue belly with only slight traces of chestnut, but bright chestnut under tail-coverts with only slight traces of blue. The remaining six specimens are young birds in spotted brown plumage and may bclong to either species.
Mr. F. W. Styan on a
1:I. COPSYCHUS SAULARIS (Linn.).
“ I found a nest on 11th July last, in a wood on the hills. It was placed on the extreme tip of the branch of a small tree about ten feet above the ground, and was so situated that even a cat would have had great difficulty in getting a t it. The eggs, four in number, were quite fresh, of a white colour with rough shell; when blown they turned bluish white. The nest, made OP flexible twigs and fine long roots, was very securely hstened to a number of small adjoining twigs.”-J. D. 2’.
1-b. DRYONdSTES PERSPICILLATUS (am.) .
13. DRY~NASTES SANNIO (Swinh.). Seytcmber, November, December, March.
16. TROCHALOPTEHON CANORUM (Linn.) . 17. POMATORHINUS STRIDULUS, Swinh. Five specimens, of which three are typical adults. The
othcr two are apparently immature; both were shot in February: oiic has the breast-streaks of the same russet- brown colour as the underparts ; the second has some of the breast-streaks of this colour.
I have also met with it near Lien Chiang hsien. Some eggs of this species were obtained at Peling early in May; they were pure white and very glossy.”-J. D. T.
“Very abundant in Peling, near To Feng Sen.
18. P A R A D ~ X O R N I S GUTTATICOLLIS, David. Peling, May ; and Ching Feng Luug, November.
19. SUTHORA SUFFUSA, Swiuh. A single specimen only, from Puching.
Collection of Birds f ~ o m Foochow. 219
20. CINCLUS PALLASI, Temm. December.
21. HENICURUS SIXENSIS, Gould.
22. HENICURUS SCHISTACEUS, Hodgs.
23. MICROCICHLA SCOULERI (Vigors).
24. PRATINCOLA MAURA (Pall,), All in winter plumage, the males with very rufous rumps
“ Common from October to May, especially abundant in and underparts.
the former month.”-J. D. T.
25. OREICOLA FERREA (Hodga.). “ Common on the hills throughout the winter.”-J. D. T. 26. RUTICILLA AUROREA (Pall.). “Arrives towards tbe end of October, and remains till
March. I n the winter the females seem scarcer than the males and leave, I believe, some time after them.”-- J. D. T.
27. ERITIIACUS CSRULECULUS (Pall.). “Winters in the district.”-J. D. T.
28. ERITHACUS CALLIOPE (Pall.). A fine adult male shot 27th April.
29. PIIYLLOSCOPUS TENELLIPES, Swinh.
30. PHYLLOSCOPUS CORONATUS (Tenim.).
31. PHYLLOSCOPUS BOREALIS (Blas.). May, September,
32. PHYLLOSCOPUS SUPERCILIOSUS (Gm.). Ten specimens, dated from October to March.
33. PHYLLOSCOPUS PROREGULUS (Pall.). Eight specimens, dated November to March.
34. ACROCEPHALUS ORIENTALIS (T. & S.). Dated May to October.
35. ACROCEPHALUS BISTKIGICEPS, Swinh. Dated April to November.
May, October.
12th April.
October.
220 Mr. B’. W. Styan 071 u
36. LUSCINIOLA PUSC.4TA (Blyth). l’ebruary, April, May.
37. LUSCINIOLA ScIrwAnZI (Radde). Herbivocula jlenairrgi (Swinh.). One speeiiiien, dater1 the 13th December.
“ Abundant in tlie paddy-fields, among the rice, from the beginning of September till, I believe, the erid of October, or :it least till all the rice is cut.”-J. D. T.
39. LoeusrrELLA OCHOTENSIS (Midd.). May, June, September.
40. CETTIA CANTURIENS (Swinh.) . 4 1. CETTIA FORTIPES (Hodgs.). “ I found it common at Fooehow in February and March,
at l’eling in Janiiary and February, and near Lien Chiang h4c.n in December.”-J. D. T.
38. LOCUSTELLA CERTHIOLA (Pall.).
February.
42. CISTICOLA CISTICOLA (Temm.) , A series of nine skins of the large eastern form of this
species. Abundant in December on the batiks of the Lien Chiang
river, several shot at Laokee on 248th March and 10th April, and several noticed in autumn near Foochow.”-J. D. T.
43. SUYA CRINIGERA (Hodgs.). S u y a striata, Swinh. June.
44. PKINIA INOKNATA, Sykes. IIryrnEpus extensicuudu, Swinh. ‘‘ One of the commonest residents in the neighbourhood.
It is found in autumn in the paddy-fields when the rice is getting ripe, arid in winter in all sorts of situations. I n the spring it returns to the neighbourhood of creeks and ponds, and nests there among the reeds. On the 21 st June I found a nest in some reeds overhanging a small pond. It was bean-shaped, made of tine grass beautifully woven together, and mas fastened to the reeds by blades of grass. The opening, situated in the side near the top, was made in
Collection of Birds f r o m Foochotu. 221
the shape of an arch, the upper part of the nest somewhat overhanging it so as to form a sort of awning; it was with- out lining of any kind. There were six young birds, quite naked.”-J. D. T.
November, February. 45. BURNESIA SONITANS (Swinh.).
46. SUTORIA SUTORIA (Forster) . Orthotomus longicaucla, Strickl. Two adult males, dated May, have fully developed central
rectrices; one, dated April, is just developing them, and another, dated 17th November, has them very slightly in excess of the rest of the tail.
47. ACREDULA CONCINNA (Gould). Among the series are six young birds dated 4kh May ; they
have the crown of the head pale buff, the black sides of the head as in adult, chin, throat, and neck white, and a thin broken black band across the upper part of the breast, below which the underparts are pale buff. Some of them are commencing their first moult and assuming the chestnut crown of the adult, but R ~ O W no signs of change on the underparts.
48. PARUS MINOR, T. & S. 49. PARUS CINEREUS, Bonnat. & Vieill. Seven specimens, of which only two have an absolutely
pure grey back. The others are the P. commixtus of Swinhoe, a form intermediate between this species and P. minor, and doubtless the result of interbreeding. In four of them only the very faintest tinge of olive can be detected; on the remaining one the mantle is so green that the bird might with equal justice be attributed to P. minor.
50. SITTA SINENSIS, Verr. Four specimens were collected by Mr. Baun, of the Imperial
Chinese Telegraph Company, near Puching, in the north of Fokien, some 300 miles from Foochow. I have not been able to compare them with other specimens, but judging from description I have no doubt that they belong to this species. The British Museum posesses no example of it, but Dr.
222 Mr. F. W. Styan 011 a
Gadow (Cat. Birds B. M. viii. p. 348) gives S. sinensis as a synonym of S. cmia, perhaps without having examined Chinese examples.
The four specimens-two males and two fernales-I have compared with a long series of X. cmia , and find them much smaller in all their measurements, especially in the much shorter and weaker bill, which equals that of S. himalayana. They haw less white on the throat than S. cmia and are more rufous on the underparts, especially the sides of the neck.
51. LEIOTH RIX LUTEUS (Scop.) . One bought alive. '
52. ALCIPPB RRUNNEA, Gould.
53. ALCIPPE MORRISONIA, Swinhoe. Ten specimens, dated January, May, November, and
December. This species appears to have been previously found only in Formosa, where Swinhoe met with and dcscribed it. '' Common at Peling, in country just below Shinkow, and
in the valley of the Yung Fu river."-J. D. T . 54. STACHYRIDOPSIS RUFICEPY (Blytli). Stachyris precognitus, Swinh. Shinkow and the valley of the Yung Fu river.
5 5 . MOTACILLA LUGENS, Pall. An adult male in full breeding-plumage, dated 27th March.
56. MOTACILLA LEUCOPSIS, Gould. An intcresting series of twenty skins in various stages.
The colour of the back in the winter plumage of adult birds seems to be very uncertain. Of nine adults killed in autumn and winter, one September and two October birds have little or no black on the back, two other October and one Decem- ber birds have partially black backs, another December bird has a pure black back, and two February ones are no blacker than the darker October birds. From this it would seem that after the breeding-season the black back is lost, and re- assumed at an uncertain period during tlie winter or following spring. This does not agree with the opinion expressed by
Collectiopz of Birds from Fooeho~u. 223
Mr. Sharpe (Cat. Birds B. M. x. y. 485) that the old birds having once obtained their black back, never lose i t again in the winter. One specimen killed in October has only a slight trace of the pectoral black band-apparently an indi- vidual peculiarity.
57. MOTACILLA OCULARIS, Swinhoe. April, October, November, December.
Five specimens, all of which have the short tail pmiliar 58. %fOTACILLA MIELANOPE, Pall.
to the eastern race. April, November, December.
May, September. 59. MOTACILLA FLAVA, Linn.
GO. MOTACILLA TAIVANA (Swinh.) . 61. ANTHUS MACULATUS, I-Ioags. A. agilis, Swinhoe (iiec Sykes). February, April, November.
62. ANTI-IUS JAPONICUS, T. SS 5. 63. ANTHUS CERVINUS (Pall.). March, April, May, October, December.
64. ANTHUS GUSTAVI, Swinh. A pair dated May.
65. ANTHUS RICHARDI, Vieill. A series of twenty skins ; six of them ltilled in October,
one being in very fine plumage, having just completed its moult; three othcrs killed in the above month, with one iii Marrh and another in April, are all in process of moult.
66. HYPSIPETES LEUCOCEPHALUS (Gm.). Three males killed 28th February and 7th March.
April, December.
December, March.
Two are not quite adult; the feathers of the lower parts are slightly edged with white, especially on the abdomen and under tail-coverts ; the black of the lower parts extends up over the breast, and in one of them partially on to the throat. The third specimen is more immature, the lower parts being dusky brown.
67. PYCNONOTUS SINENSIS (Gm.).
224 Mr. F. W. Styaii on a
68. HEMIXUS CASTANONOTUS, Swinh. This species was discovered by Swinhoe on the island of
Hainan, and has not hitherto been met with on the mainland. “ I met with these Bulbuls in Peling on 15th and 16th
February 1885, in a belt of bamboos and trees some twelve miles from Foochow. They seemed to me to have much the same habits as the common species (H. sii2elzsis) ; but tlicir voice is different, and their larger size and the absence of the white on the head easily distinguish them at a dis- tauce.”-J. D. T.
69. SPIZIYUS SEMITORQUES, Swinh.
70. OSIOLUS DIFFUSUS, Sliarpe. “Arrives here towards the middle of April and remains
71. BUCFIANGA ATRA (Herm.). Dicrwus catha?cus, s winh. Five specimens, kiHed in September and October, are all
immature, with white edging to feathers of lowcr parts and under wing-coverts.
till October.”-J. D. T.
72. BUCHAXGA LEUCOCENYS, Walrlen. Eight specimens, of which the females are duskier than
the males, with a distinct greenish “shot” on the upper parts, which is hardly distinguishable in the latter.
“One of the commonest birds of the district during summer. Arrives about the middle of April, and begins to mate soon after its arrival ; leaves towards the end of Sep- tanil)er. ‘l‘he old birds begin to moult at the beginning of August and the youig are then quite full-grown.”-J. D. T.
73. CHIBIA HOTTENTOTA (Linn.). C. brevirostris, Swinh. ‘I Shot on the bank of the Yung Fu Aver among the
orange-groves, on 16th arid 19th September ; others mere about; noticcd also in Peling i i t May.”-J. D. T.
74. PERICRO~OTUS CANTONENSIS, Sminh. (( These Minivets arrive in large numbers towards the end
Soon after arrival they of March or beginning of April.
Collection qf Birds j h n Fooclso~o. 225
begin to mate, and establish thrmselves ou the largc trees on Nantai and the mainland; they remain till the end of Sep- tember.”-J. D. T.
75. GRAUCALUS REX-PINETI, Swinh. A single unsexed specimcn, eithcr female or immature
male, shot on 11th January, on some low hillocks under the Kushan range. This is another specics describcd by Swinhoc from Formosa, but not hithcrto met with on tlie mainland.
Courlilr,’ ‘ Courlik ’.”- J. D. T.
“The cry of this bird was a loud metallic
76. LANIUS SCHACH, Linn. “Very common during autumn, winter, and early part of
spring ; from the cnd of March it is but seldom mct with, and bcgins to get common again towards the bcginning of August. The moult takes place in 0ctoBer.”-J. D. T.
This partial migration is very noticeable at Shanghai, the birds being scarce in summcr, but arriving in large numbers in Augiist and September. How far north tlicy go in tlic summer is doubthl ; Pitre David says that they never reach Peliin.
I shot a young bird on 11th July last.
77. LANIUS FUSCATUS, Less. “Father Li, one of the native priests of the Catholic
Mission, shot a specimen of this rare Shrikc ou tlic 3rd March 1886, on the bauk of the creek leading into the city, and vcry kindly sent it to me. Iris dark brown j bill and feet black.”-J. D. T.
78. LANIUS LUCIONENSIS, Linn. A series of niue adult and nineteen immature specimcns.
“Arrives towards the end of August and is commoli It occasionally occurs during the
killed in August, September, and October.
throughout September. winter; for I shot one on the 21st January.”-J. D. T.
79. ALSEONAX LATIROSTRIS (Raffl.). “ The commonest of all the Flycatchers in this district ; it
is seen iii spying and autumn, and I haw shot one on 24t11 SEJ1. V.-VOL, T. u
226 Mr. F. Mi. Styan on a
January. The spring passage lasts about two months, from the end of March to tlie beginning of May; the birds at that season are generally in bad plumage. The autumn passage occurs during September, Octobcr, and November, and all the birds are then in fresh aud bright plumage.”- J. D. T.
80. I ~ E M I C B E L I D O N FERRUGINEA, Hodgs, One specimen, killed on 3rd April.
81. MUSCICAPA GRISEISTICTA (Swinh.) “Common during its autumn passage in October and
November. I have not seen it in spring.”-J. D. T.
82. POLIOMYIAS LUTEOLA (Pall.). “Abundant in November.”-J. D. T.
83. TARSIGER CYANURUS (Pall.), “Arrives towards thc middle of November and remains
till about the end of RIarcll.’J-J. D. T.
84. XANTHOPYG~A PULIGINOSA (Vig.). ,‘A common bird in winter on some of our mountairr
torrents.”-J. D. T. Although included among the Flycatchers by Mr Sharpe,
011 account of its structure, this bird is in its habits and mode of life a Rock Chat.
85. XANTHOPYGIA CYANOMELBNA (Temm.). ‘‘ The spring passage takes place in April, and towards the
middle of the month these birds are common enough in certain places. In autumn I have shot it in November."- J. D. T.
86. XANTHOPYGIA NARCISSINA (Temm.) . Three males and a female, killed in April; only one of
the males has nearly assumed full plumage. “Not rare during its spring passage, which lasts from
about the middle of April to the beginning of May. A young male was shot on 22ntl August.”-J. D. T.
Collection of Birds f r o m FOO-I I l o w . 297
87. XANTHOPYGIA TRICOLOR, Blytli. One, labclled ‘( male, 22nd August,” is in the plumage of
an adult female.
88. TERPSIPHONE INCII (Goiild) . “Not uncommon during the spring passage. I saw it in
the spring of 1885 from the 26th April to the 17th May, and also in the following September.”-$. D. T.
89. HIEUNDO GUTTURALIS, Scop. “Arrives here towards the beginning of hlarch. I have
seen small parties evidently travelling in September and October.”-J. D. T.
90. HIRUNDO JAPONICA, T. & S. “ Not at all abundant ; is seen in April in company with
the House Swallow.”-J. D. T.
91. HIRUNDO SUBSTRIOLATA, Hume. Two immature specimens shot out of a large flight 0 1 1
31st November appear to belong to this larger race. They are moulting and have pale buff tips to the new inner secondaries, but not on the wing-coverts ; the external rectrices, which have not yet been moulted, are full-sized.
92. COTILE RIPARIA (Linn.). Five specimens shot in November ; seen also in spring.
93. DICEUM IGNIPECTUS (Hodgs.). u To be found all through the winter, usually only one or
two together, but occasionally in some numbers.”-J. D. T.
94. ZOSTEROPS SIMPLEX, Swinh. In the Cat. Birds B. M. ix. p. 166, Swinlioe’s name is
given as a synonym OE 2. palpebrosa of India. In this, however, I am unable to follow Mr. Sharpe, for among tlic Indian skins in the British Museum I can find none that cannot at once be distinguished from the Chinese bird by its golden-yellow instead of greenish upper parts. Mr. Oates’s specimens from Lower Pegu belong to this and not to the Indian species, and one specimen from Yunnan belongs to the
Q 2
2.28 Mr. F. W. Styan on a
Indian species, so that it scems tliat tlic eastern and mcsterii limits of‘ the rcspectivc species cross one anotlicr.
Among tlie Foochow scrics are six specimcns shot in Marcli and April, which differ coiisitlerably from tlic rest in having tlic whdc plumagc inucli iiiorc clusky. Tlic green of tlic upper parts is much less lriglit ; the ycllom oil tlic throat and undrr tail-coverts is pale and dull ; and tlw brcast ant1 lowcr parts arc ciitircly dusliy-brownisli grey, with only faiiit traces of tlie pnlc buff on the flanlrs and the yellow wash 011
thc. centre of the belly. The syeciineiis arc not in very good cotidition, nncl the plumagc appears woim ; I therefore liesitntc to iirpnrntc thciri specifically without further evidence. RIP. De la Tourhc, Iiowcvcr, writes as follows :-<( My shoot- ing-boy shot tlicse six on the 29th and 30th March ; a fcmalc i~hicli I shot last year on the 14th April is, I think, of thc saiiic species. All these hirds mere 1vec(ling, and apparently
Oiie spccimeii similar to the nhove, a i d horn the snnx fully aclnlt.”
locality, hut without date, is in the British Museum.
95, EMBERIZA SPODOCEPIIALA, Pall. Novctnber, l)ecembcr, Fehruary.
96. E~IBERIZA SULPHURATA, T. & S.
97. E M B E R I Z ~ FUCATA, Pall.
98. EMBERIZ i PUSILLA, Pall.
99. E ~ i n c ~ r z a CIOPSIS, Bp.
April
May, Decembcr.
January.
February, March, August
100. EMBERIZ.4 AUREOLA, Pall. October.
101. n lELOPI IUS iIIELANICTERUS (am.). A handsonic pair killed in Febrnary.
A specimen of Melanocorypha inoizgolica (Pall.), shot bll :$lst March, is in the collection, but had undoubtedly escaped from confinetnent, this being a favourite cage-bird with the Chinese.
102. CAPI~IMULGUS JOTAILZ, T. & s. Septenibcr.
Collccctioji of Birds f)*om Foorhotv. 229
103. Prcus CABANISI, Malh. Ten specimens with dark-brown underparts, agreeing with
birds from the Yangtse valley. One is rcinarkable in having large spots of wliite on thc ends of thc scapulars, which are slightly tipped with black, and in having the rump irregu- larly barred with white. Mr. Hargitt agrces with me in considering this only ail iudividual pcculinrity. He also tells me he considers P. cabanisi, P . luciani, P. gouldi, and P. mandarinus to bc one and thc samc spccics ; a i d having been unable to examine the various types myself, I follow his suggestion and adopt tlie old name.
104. IYNGIPICUS SCINTILLICEPS (Swinh.). Four specimens iclentical with one from Hankow, Ceiitral
China. Mr. Hargitt, who lias kindly esamincd thcm, finds that they differ somewlint froin the North-China spccimens, principally in the more distinctly barred estcrnal rectrices, in which thcy show au affiiiity to I. lculeensis (Swinh.).
105. GECINUS GUERINI (Malh.). A series of six, agrceing perfectly with my specimens from
the Yangtse valley, which have the black occiput ant1 mous- tache quite as strongly marked. Mr. IIargitt considers that the southern foriii, G . tuncola, Gonld, cannot be sgeciiically separated.
106. R~ICROPTERNUS FORIENPIS, Swinh. Two males and three fcmalcs. ‘( This species is not commoii here, but T have obtained
several from natives, who said they lrad shot tliern on the hills, and I killed one myself on 1st hlarcli, 1S85.”-J. 1). T.
107. IYNX TORQUILLA, Linn. (( Is rather uncommon, but seems to pass regularly in spring
108. UPUPA EPOPS, Linn.
109. EURYSTOMUS ORIENTALIS (Linn.) . “ Arrives towards the end of April and leaves towards the
end of September or beginniag of October. Young birds about two-thirds grown wwc broaglit me 011 2nd July, and
and autumn.”-J. D. T.
,230
I saw others about the same size on 6th August. They had the upper mandible of the bill black, rimmed with yellow, and the lower inandible reddish; thc feet were dark red above, nud the blue patcli on the throat was wanting, while tlie general colouriiig WLY not so bright as that of the adult.”
Mr. F’. W. Styan on a
-J. D. T. 110. h c i i u o ~ S G A L E N S I S (Briss.).
111. CEBYLE iitibrs (Liim.).
i 12. CE:RTLE GUTTATA, Vig. ‘L’wo spccimcus, in which the wing measures 74 inches. c r X rare IJirtl in this district, but probably less uncommon
in tlie interior.”-J. D. ‘1’.
113. i IALCYoN SXIPRNENSIS (Litin.).
114. HALCYON P i L E . i i w s (Bodcl.).
115. CUCULUS CANORUS, Liim. Two iininature specimcns, killed in September, of the small
116. CUCULUS ~IIICROPTERUS, Gould. Two immature birds, killed in October, with a great deal of
hlack oil the head aud throat, which is gradually being re- placed by grey, are, I believe, tlie young of this species.
pale form, with very narrow bands on the lower parts.
117. CEIVTR~PUS SINENSIS (Steplr.). ltesiilent a r i d COI~IIUOKI.”-J. D. T.
118. CENTELOPUS BESGALKNNYIS ( a m . ) . l r I have bought two of these birds ; i t is probably rare here,
119. MEGAL.EMA T’IRENS (Bodd.). (‘ ltesidcnt in t h Pcling cotintry, and t h e were shot for
1 1 1 ~ on ttic hilis bordcring tlie river Rlin, between Foochow
as I have never come across it myself.”-J. D. ‘1’.
and Shidio~v.”-J. D. 1’. 120. S C O P S ELEGANY (CMS.).
I do not think these Owls are particularIy comrncin here. I heard one at Cliing Feng Lung in the middle of November sild mi the 18th April. A nati~-e shot a young niale 011
Collection of Birds from Foochow. 231
Rushan, and an inhabitant of a village near by told us there was a pair of them breeding there. I bought a young one on the 3rd June, which I successfully reared.”-J. D. T.
121. NINOX SCUTULATA (Raffl.). Two specimens, obtained in May.
122. GLAUCIDI UM WHITELYI (Blyth). ‘I‘ A very common resident.”-J. D. T.
123. As10 ACCIPITRINUS (Pall.). “ Common from autumn to spring.”-J. D. T.
124. PANDION HALIAETUS (Linn.) .
N. juponica, Swinh.
Often scen on the river and about the coast during the wiiiter ; some remain throughout the summer.”-J. D. T.
125. CIRCUS CYANEUS (Linn.). ‘ I Females and young males are very cominvn from the end
of October till the spring j adult males are rare, and I have not yet even seen one.”-J. D. T.
126, CIRCUS MELANOLEUCUS (Forster). A single female only, dated 15th November.
127. CIRCUS SPILVNOTUS, Kaup. A fine series of ten sliins, including two brown females
with sharply defined bars on the tail, assigned by Mr. J. H. Gurney to this species.
‘ I Passes here during March and April, and again during October and November.”-J. D. T’.
128. CIRCUS BRUGINOSUS (Linn.). ‘( A conirnon bird during winter ; arrives in October.”-
J. D. T.
129. BUTEO PLUMIPES (Hodgs.). Ten spcciincns, of a hich cigbt were Billed in December and
Jauuary, one in March, and one in winter (no date). An exalnplc dated 11th January is in normal adult plumage, tile others arc all pale immature birds.
((Very cointiion in the plains diirins wint<%r.”--J. D, ‘1’.
232 Mr. F. W‘. Styan O ~ L a
130. AQUILA HELIACA, Savigny. Tlirec immature birds; one of the two largcr ones is
laliellcd male, but in size i t equals a female. ‘( I am told by the native sportsmen that these Eagles arc
not uncommon in winter on the marshes and paddy-ficlds aclsjoiiiiiig tlie river, that two or three are soinetiincs sceri togctlicr, and that they prey largely on tlic domestic Ducks, wliich fcecd in large flocks on tlie river and sea-shore. l)nring tlic wiiitcr of 1885-86 I procurd t h e e specimens from thc iiatives, aiid saw the fret of a fourth wliicli hail been shot at Laolree and euten ! One was hilled in November a d tlie other two in J;Lnuary.”-J. D. T.
131. NISAETUS PASVIATUS (vieill.). Thongh not previously recorded in the Chinrse list, Bonclli’s
Eagle is perhaps not uncommon, One was shot near Sliaiigliai last wiiiter, a i d is now in the Sliaiigliai Mnseimi ; :ud tlicre are two specimens iii the collection bel‘orc IIIC, both, judging 1)y tlirir size, fernales-oric, mitli broad shaft-stripes 011 tlic brcast, killed on tlic 28th November, aud the otlicr, nl~parently a younger bird, mitli distinct but vcry narrow sliaft-stripcs, killed on the 24th December. Mr. De la Touche lias siiicc obtained another one on l d l t l i October, almost exactly similar to thc latter specimen.
132. I JALIAETUS LEUCOGASTER (Gm.). This is another addition to the Chinese avifauiia; i t is
strangc that it has not been noticed before or1 the soutliern coasts of China.
“ On tlic 27th Ju ly last the native T s ~ ~ i g lang, who was out with mc on a short trill to the sea-coast, shot, 011 a rocky islet near Wofou Island, tliis very handsome Sea Xagle. Wc had to scramble up tlic rock to get at the bird, wliich, before w c pielred it up, me had taken for a large sea-bird on account o l its prculiar colonring. We liad seen this bird in the nioriiing at tl;ryl)ienlc j it flcw rather slonly and passed US
nithiii shot, aliglitirig half’ a mile on the sands amoiig a flock oC Pelicans, mliicli TVC had been tryiug to stalk. As we were preparing to follow it, it rosc and went off towards the
Tlie spccimen is an adult male in moult.
Collection of Birds from Foochoiri. 233
island, whew we afterwards €ound i t perched high up on a rocky ledgc.”-J. 1). T.
133. SPILORNIY C H E E L A (Lath.). Two specimens, oue datcd 13th Octoher and the otlier,
‘ r A rarity in this district.”-J. D. T. 1 3 h . UUTASTUR I N D I C U S (Gm.). A finc adult inalc, dated 2Gth Marcli.
135. ACCIPITER NISUS (Linn.). ( ( Common from Octobcr to the cnd of April.”-J. I). ’1’.
136. ACCIPITEIL VIRGSTUS (Tcmm.) . Two fcmales-a youiig one, dated 30th Octolicr, and :ni
adult, with a fcw slight trnccs of immature plumage, tlatetl 27th April. Mr. J. 11. Gurney tells mc these are iilciiticnl with thc Japanese birds, the A . gzdwis (I1. k S.) of Mcssrs. 13laliiston arid Pryer’s list.
a finc dark-plumaged female, the 14th Marcll.
137. F a ~ c o C O M ~ J N ~ S (Gm.). (‘ Common and generally distributed from tlic lqinii i i ig
of Octobcr to tlic spriiig.”-J. I). T. Among this series of Pcregrincs is i~n iminnlurc bird
which may pcrliaps hc tlie yoiiiig of the Australia11 17. r w / a - nogenys, a spccics wliicli 118s becii found in South Chiiia, breeding as Iar north as the Yaiigtse.
138. FALCO SUBBUTEO, Liiiii. (‘ Arrives towards the end of April aiid rcmains till the end
of Octobcr ; very common, nests 011 the Iiigli piuc trees."- J. D. 7’.
139. FALCO imcuT,us, P:d. ‘( Comriion (luring tlie wintcr ; specimens prorurctl in
winter arc a11 females m d young inalcs, but 1 havc sevcral adult niales procurcd in RSarch and April.”--J. I). T.
1-hO. FALCO TINNUNCULUS (Linn.). Sevcral specimcna of thc large and dark race dcscribcd as
F. japonicus; the females and young all show traccs of blue on the rump.
234 Canon Tristrain o n un upparently
141. MICROI-IIER.~IY SINENSIS, Sharp . A single adult female of this rare little Falcon. “ On the 2nd November, 1886, this specimen, a Peiiiale in
moult, mas shot on the banks of the river Min, about 25 miles bcyoud Foochom by rny sliooting-boy, wlio told me that i t was pei+chcd on a telcgrnpli-pole, arid that he also haw anotlier one. IIc esamiiied the stomach arid found it c:o:itaincd intects.”-J. D. T.
14’2. MILVUS MELANOTIS, T. & S . Thrcc immature birds. “ Extremely almidarit all over the cultivated couutry.
They bcgin to brced about February, and nest in clumps of pines near villages.”-J. D. T.
143. IIALIASTUR INDUS (Rodd.) . A single specimen, killed on 22nd August. “Tlie only onc I have ever secn here.”-J. D. T.
_-
xXII.-On ara appnrently neiu Species of Zosterops from
THE distribution of tlie great Meliphagine genus ZosteropJ is o i ~ e of the inost intcrcsting studies in ornithological geog~nphy. Occurring tl~ronglioiit the whole of the Indian, EtIiic,piaii, Bustralian, and Pacific regions, ttierc are no cha- r,tctcrs mliich in the least mark oft’ tlie ‘‘ Wliite-eyes ” of one r,.giou from those of anotlicr. Soiiie ACrican, Indiau, aiid .111stialian specks are so closely allied as to be only with diffi- c1d ty rliscriiiiinated, e. g. 2. siunmsis, 2. sencyuleiasis, Z. luteu, i’r.oin the tliree regions widest apart. But thcrc is one pecu- IIarity common to all the regions. Wliilc tlie genus may, for coiivrnicy ce, be divicled into two gro~ips, the grcen-and- v(;llow and the grey-and-white, I am not aware of any of the
icy gyou:) hciiig found on coatiiicfital or qnnsi-continental areaq. I n the irisrilnr areas, on the contrary, we generally find t\%-o spi.cies, onc of each groiip, and this in tlie Indian atltl I’acifc Oceans alike. Sonie of the grey Zosteropinae from
I’ncitic h v e reprexiitntivcs al l Iiut identical in the Nas-
Madugascor. By N. 13. TRISTICAJI, D.D., F.R.S.