396 Mr. R. Swinhoe on Amoy Ornithology. 



tions of small feathers light brownish-grey, nearly white at their 

 roots. 



Supposed female much smaller, and, according to my hunter, 

 about a pound lighter in weight. Bill from forehead to tip 

 1-8 inch, bill from gape close on 3 inches ; bill narrower and more 

 graceful. Entire length of bird about 23 inches, wing 10-25 in., 

 tail probably 6-25 in., but the feathers worn and moulting. 

 Dorsal feathers and many of the lesser wing-coverts light 

 bronzed-brown, margined with deeper hue. Many of the quills 

 of both wings and tail light cream-brown, with deep leaden- 

 coloured shafts, and with more or less deep hair-brown, chiefly 

 on their inner webs. These are doubtless the remnants of the 

 immature plumage ; but this immaturity of the bird can scarcely 

 account for the great disparity of size between the two speci- 

 mens. Tarse 2'1 in., outer toe 3"6 in., middle toe2'9 in., inner 

 2 inches, hallux 1-3 in., all including nails. 



Jan. 18th, 1867. — A Turtur rupicola (Pall.) brought to me is 

 only about two or three months old. I have also one of about the 

 same age, shot in December 1865 in Formosa. Both these birds 

 must have been hatched somewhere in the neighbourhood where 

 they were procured. The old Doves do not show themselves in 

 the south till the beginning of October. I should think it very 

 probable, then, that this species repeats its incubation in its 

 winter haunts. Our resident T. chinensis I have found sitting 

 on eggs at the close of October. 



Jan. 21st. — I have been handling a Coot fresh shot, and com- 

 paring it with all the descriptions of the European Fulica atra 

 within my reach. In none of them (Selby's ' British Orni- 

 thology ' and Temminck's ' Manuel d'Ornithologie ' among 

 others) is ujcntion made of any white on the wings, or of black 

 on the tail-coverts ; and it is only relatively, by a remark on the 

 absence of white on the wings of F. cristata by Dr. Bree (B. Eur. 

 iv. p. 85), that I can learn of its existence in the commoner 

 European species. I will here comment on the insufficient descrip- 

 tions of home species that are too frequently given by writers 

 on British Birds. They may serve to identify the species in the 

 localities to which such works confine themselves ; but they by no 

 means suffice to point out the little niceties which it is necessary 



