294 Mr, R. Swinhoc on Formosan Ornithology. 



slow aud somewhat hovering, and they observe no order or 

 figure. 



October 22. — A friend returned from a shooting-excursion 

 this afternoon. The Snipes bagged were Gallinago media and 

 G. stenura, in equal numbers, and one very large specimen 

 of G. solitaria. This last bird was of a richer ochi-eous-brown 

 than usual. It was a female, and on dissection was found to 

 possess the peculiar csecal appendage before referred to (Ibis, 

 1865, p. 231). Several long thin white tapeworms were wound 

 round its intestines, the longest worm measuring two inches*. 

 The stomach was more muscular than in the Common Snipe, 

 and contained a mass of green fibrous matter, apparently Algce. 

 Can the use of this substance be to aid digestion ? The caca 

 were minute, as in G. stenura, G. media having them long. 

 Among the other water-birds procured, the most noteworthy 

 were two examples of Totanus fascus and one of T. affinis. The 

 latter is new to the Formosan list, but I have procured it before 

 at Amoy. Mr. Blyth and others had some doubts as to T. affi- 

 nis being a good species, but I am convinced of its validity. 

 My friend observed several pairs of this bird ; and as I know it 

 to be amongst the earliest arrivals near Amoy, it is not impro- 

 bable that a few breed in low latitudes in China. 



Totanus affinis, Horsf. Bill olive-gi'een at basal half, black 

 at tip. Inside of mouth dusky flesh -colour. Iris deep brown. 

 Ear-coverts behind the occipital line of the eye, and large for the 

 size of the head. Legs and toes rich ochreous-olive, with black 

 nails. Tail of twelve feathers, the two central about '2 inch the 

 longest, the next '1 less, the rest equal. It was a female, on 

 dissection showing a cluster of minute eggs. Its stomach was 

 heart-shaped. Snipe-like, and not very muscular, with a black 

 lining, and containing one minute Paludina with shell entire, 

 besides remains of freshwater insects, together with algae-like 

 fibres. Its whole body was imbedded in fat. I examined care- 

 fully its intestines, but could discover no caca of any kind. 



* [Some specimens sent home by our correspondent have been kindly 

 identified for us by Dr. Cobbokl as Tcenia gallinaginis, Rudolphi, Synops. 

 Entoz. p. 17^^. — Ed.] 



