360 Mr. R. Swinhoe on the Ornithology of Amoy (China). 



Wiifoi-cl, nor myself had much time to extend our researches. 

 The immense forests of Camphor-trees that cover the gigantic 

 snow-capped mountains are no doubt productive of numerous 

 species unknown to science ; but until the right of travelling is 

 established in China, exploration of such wild fastnesses will be 

 impossible; and even were Chinese Formosa open to Europeans, 

 an attempt to ascend these lovely heights would always be 

 attended with danger, owing to the extreme savageness of the 

 aboriginal tribes. With the exception of the S.W. portion, 

 where birds are abundant, especially Orioles and Drongos, the 

 coast, though green and well-wooded, is comparatively destitute 

 of feathered denizens. 



I have no doubt, from the glance I had at the birds of For- 

 mosa, that most of our Amoy forms are found in the island. 

 Indeed, I have received examples of most of them from there. 

 The few species that I procured in our last trip in the 'Inflexible^ 

 which were new to me I described at Shanghai, in the Journal 

 of the N. C. B. of the Asiatic Society*. 



The first bird therein described, Calamanthella tiniinnahulans, 

 is, without doubt, the Cisticola hrunneiceps of the ' Fauna Ja- 

 ponica,' which again is perhaps only a local variety of the Eu- 

 ropean species. 



C. volitans is a good species. 



Prinia striata I should be more inclined now, I think, to call 

 a Drymoica. It is much longer than the ordinary Prinioi, and 

 has a remarkably long tail. 



The Dipper is most likely Cinclus pallasii, as I see this last 

 quoted as occurring in Japan. 



Garrulax taewanus and Pomatorhinus masicus are both good 

 species. 



Centrojms dimidiatus (?) ('' the Woodman") I have since found 

 as a straggler at Amoy, and as a resident at Hong Kong. I am 

 sending you specimens for examination. 



AnoUs pileatus requires comparison with A, stolidus. 

 In my " Narrative of a Visit to Formosa," a few wrong names 

 of birds had crept in, and I see that they have been inserted in 

 your remarks [antea, p. 89). Allow me therefore to correct 

 * See our reference to this article antea, p. 186. — Ed. 



