Mr. R. Swinhoe on Formosan Ornithology. 293 



can confirm, excepting the fact of its breeding " in the hollows 

 of the trunks of trees." All the nests that I have come across 

 in China of this species have been built in loose circular form, 

 large and domed, and placed among the topmost twigs of 

 high trees. But perhaps this bird, like Acridotheres cristatellus 

 (L.), sometimes adopts one style and at other times another, 

 consulting its own taste and necessity. The Siamese represen- 

 tative of A. cristatellus, my A. siamensis (P. Z. S. 1863, p. 45), 

 Sir Robert does not mention. 



The Crow Pheasant, Centropus philippensis, is said to be " not 

 larger than our Cuckoos." Surely Centropus affinis (Horsf.) is 

 meant. Both species are, however, known to inhabit Siam. Their 

 breeding-habits have been observed and already described by 

 other travellers. 



I question whether the Siamese Copsychus be not rather C. 

 mindanensis than C. saularis. If it be so, what is the range of 

 the former species ? 



Estrelda amandava is brought in large numbers from the 

 Straits to China as a cage-bird. 



The description given of Hydrophasianus sinensis applies to 

 Metopidius indicus rather than to the first-named bird. 



On the 7th of October, while returning from the Snipe- 

 marshes near Takow, 1 got a close view of a Locustella, which I 

 think was my L. minuta, before noted in South China. Some 

 way up a hill I heard the cry of Kestrels, and seeing a wing 

 flapping, I thought it was one in the jaws of some beast of prey. 

 I clambered up the hill, and had almost reached the spot, when 

 up flew two Kestrels from each other's embrace. They were 

 immature birds; but as I had no gun with me I was obliged to 

 let them fly away in peace. The spot where they had been 

 fighting was stained with blood and covered with feathers. I 

 continued my ramble, and from a rock again put up one of 

 them. He looked " seedy," and I suspect was one of the com- 

 batants. 



October 14. — A party of Night-Herons [Nycticorax griseus) 

 flew overhead just as it was getting dark. They hovered over 

 the confines of the sea, and then turned back. Their flight is 



