Letter from Mr. Swiulioe. 363 



but is not found further to the west than South-eastern Europe 

 and North-eastern Africa. 



M. DesMurs speaks of his Buteo delalandi as occurring in 

 Madagascar : is it possible that some confusion may exist on this 

 point between it and its nearly related but shorter-winged con- 

 gener, Buteo brachjpterus of von Pelzeln, first figured in the last 

 number of 'The Ibis' (PL VIII.) ? 



Further observation may doubtless clear up this point, and 

 also increase our knowledge of the other nearly allied races of 

 Buzzards to which we have here referred. 



XLII. — Letter from Mr. Swinhoe. 

 (Plate XIII.) 

 To the Editor of ' The Ibis.' 

 Sir, — I have just returned to England from Formosa, for 

 change of air ; and as, while there, I prosecuted my researches in 

 natural history with some vigour, I have been enabled to bring 

 with me some fine novelties from that hitherto unexplored island. 

 Among other things in the ornithological line, I may mention a 

 most lovely new species of Pheasant of the Evplocomus group, of 

 which I was fortunate enough to procure both sexes, — a fine new 

 Urocissa, a new Megalcema, two Pomatorhini, three Garrulaxes, an 

 Arhoricola, cum multis aliis. All these I intend bringing before 

 the Zoological Society at their first meeting in November. But 

 with regard to one of the novelties, perhaps the most beautiful 

 thing I have brought, I should like to anticipate the introduc- 

 tion to the ornithological world by availing myself of the pages 

 of ' The Ibis ' to bring it forward. I refer to the accompanying 

 Orioline form, belonging to the genus Psaropholus, to which P. 

 traillii from Nepal and perhaps one other species belong. Both 

 of these, however, are cast far into the shade by their Formosan 

 representative. I subjoin a diagnosis of its characters, with the 

 few notes I can at present supply. I shall be able to add further 

 l)articulars when the mass of my collection reaches England. 



PSAIIOPIIOLUS AllDENS, SwiuhoC. (PI. XIII.) 



p. coccincus; capite et ccrvice uudique cum alis tibiisquc uiger- 

 rimis ; rostro pedibusque plumbeis. 



