Letters^ Extracts from Correspondence, Notices, S^c. 423 



proventriculus, which was 1^ in. long, and ended in a small 

 heart-shaped stomach about | in. long. The stomach contained 

 remains of the soft part of Crustacea. The cseca were about 1^ in. 

 long, terminating in long blank sacs, and given off about f in. 

 from anus. Testes small and black. 



Dec. 22nd. Stood across from Luzon for China. Within sight 

 of Cape Boleno two birds, about the size of White Pigeons, which 

 they somewhat resembled, came near us. They were heavy- 

 looking, with short tails and heavy bill and head. Entire plumage 

 white. Could they have been Gygis Candida of Australia ? 



In the Hongkong bird-shops I saw in cages the Garrulax chi- 

 nesis, Scop. [Corvus auritus; see BlytVs Catalogue, p. 95). This 

 bird I have omitted from my list of China birds published in 

 the * Proceedings of the Zoological Society.' I have never met 

 with it wild, and I therefore fancy its range is south of Canton. 

 It is a much larger bird than our large G. perspicillatus. 



At Amoy I found a female Fringilla montifringilla in a cage. 

 A friend of mine had caught it in December, fluttering against 

 a window in his house. This is the most southerly appearance 

 of this bird on the China coast. 



Between Amoy and Foochow I saw several Albatroses {Dio- 

 medea brachyura of Temm.) in January. Pallas mentions this 

 bird as visiting Kamtschatka (see Zoograph. Ross.-Asiat. 

 ii. p. 308), under the name of Diomedea albatros, which name 

 should consequently take priority over D.hrachyura of Temminck. 



On 31st January I reached Tamsuy, Formosa. 



Yours &c., 



Robert Swinhoe. 



Formosa, April 4th, 1864. 

 Str, — I have received from my friends Messrs. Caine and 

 Cooper, of the British Consulate at Swatow, a very interesting 

 new form of Hi/psipetes, which I think it my duty to at once 

 describe through your friendly columns. The bird was shot by 

 Count Caine near Swatow;, on the northern borders of the 

 Kwangtung Province, just south of the Fokien Province, in 

 which latter Amoy and Foochow are situated. It was skinned 

 and forwarded to me by Mr. Cooper. 



