of the Island of Formosa. 367 



Next we will proceed to compare our four birds with the 

 specimens described as P. major and P. m,inor in the * Fauna 

 Japonica.' The single individuals from which the characters are 

 therein drawn are both young specimens — certainly not older than 

 the second year, if so old. For of the first we find it stated 

 {I.e. p. 119) that "son bee est absolument depourvu de rides 

 a sa face superieure;" and also "son plumage est d'un blanc 

 uniforme, h ^exception des pointes des grandes remiges ou le 

 blanc passe au brun-fonce ; cette meme teinte occupe aussi les 

 tiges de ces pennes/' — and of the P. minor (p. 120), "quoique 

 absolument semblable k la precedente par ses teintes et son 

 organisation en general, cette espece nouvelle s^en distingue 

 neanmoins, au premier coup d'oeil, par sa petite taille, par son 

 bee assez court, ainsi que par une disposition tres-difFerente des 

 parties nues de la tete." 



The dimensions of our four specimens compared with those 

 described in the ' Fauna Japonica ' give the following results : — 



P. major, F. J. Length 330 ; wing 14*2 ; tail 45 ; bill 87 ; tibia 37 ; tarse 55 

 No. (1) „ 33-0; „ 15-0; „ 50; „ 75; „ 3-0; „ 6-5 



From this it will be seen that the larger species varies 

 much in size, the smallest exceeding the type of P. minor 

 by 6 in. in length, by 1*1 in length of bill, and by '7 in 

 length of tarse. Let us now compare the disposition of the 

 bare face-skin in our several specimens with the published de- 

 scriptions. 



(1 .) § . Round the eye bare. The frontal plumes advance '4 in. 

 before the exterior plane of eye. The plumed skin advances 

 below the eye "6 in. beyond its exterior plane on to the lower 

 mandible, ending obtusely beyond the plane of the commissure ; 

 then receding downwards and inwards 1*5, exposes the gular 

 pouch without readvancing. 



(2.) S • Round the eye bare. The plumes advance on the 

 forehead about "1 in. beyond the eye; towards the commissure 

 they fall short of the exterior plane of the eye, and recede only "2 ; 



