398 Mr. R. Swinhoe on Formosan Ornithology. 



(P. Z. S. 1863, p. 292) ; but unfortunately in this specimen the 

 longest and most important feathers of the tail are missing. 

 That procured by Captain Blakiston at Canton, from which the 

 species was originally noted, had no tail at all ! I can now say 

 that the bird has a graduated tail. The most remarkable bird 

 of the lot was a species which, in coloration and some other pe- 

 culiarities, recalls the Di^ymceoE, but has a short tail. It seems 

 to me most nearly related to the genus Horeites ; and to that I 

 will for the present refer it : — 



Horeites robustipes, sp. nov. 



Length 4 inches. Wing 1'9 inchj first quill short, fifth 

 and sixth equal and longest. Tail 1"4 inch, often feathers, gra- 

 duated and short. Tarsus, hind toe, and claws large, long, and 

 strong, yellowish, washed with brown. Upper and apical third 

 of lower mandible blackish-brown, yellowish on the edge. I 

 have only two specimens. The bill of one is longer and more 

 curved than that of the other. Upper parts of plumage olive- 

 brown, tinged with reddish on the back and wings. Quills and 

 wings generally hair-brown, except on their margins. Tail light 

 hair-brown, edged with reddish-olive. Rump at base of tail 

 yellowish-olive. Streak over the eye and underparts, including 

 axillaries and edge of carpus, cream-colour, ochreous on the belly, 

 and olivaceous-bufi" on breast, flanks, vent, and tibiae. 



In my trip to the mountains, having put up at a village, at 

 an early hour I strolled up the hill to a clump of fine trees. On 

 the bare branches of a large Bombax malabaricum I noticed a 

 Psaropholus ardens ; its bright crimson plumage made a lovely 

 contrast with the dull red flowers of the tree, and the light 

 green bursting leaves. I rushed back to our hut for a gun and 

 shot him. He showed still the whitish underparts and streaks 

 of immaturity. But the great question was solved. I had 

 accepted hearsay evidence that its iris was red. I now found 

 for myself that it was white, like that of its congener P. trailli. 

 The white was encircled near the eyelids with a black rim. The 

 eyelids were lead-colour. Bill bright French-blue. Tongue 

 yellowish, with a broad black bifid tip. Stomach full of small 

 figs, either of the banyan or some allied species. When picked 

 up, the wounded bird screeched just as yellow Orioles do. 



