250 Mr. R. Swinhoe on Formosan Ornithology. 



tiuy forms were no longer visible. I know no greater enjoyment 

 than lying securely in the netting under the jib of a nice vessel 

 and scanning the birds as they pass — the Flying-fish darting up 

 from before the rushing prow, and the Medusae, Velellce, Physalice, 

 and other '' monsters of the deep " gliding silently along. The 

 naturalist may indeed exclaim with the Psalmist, " God, how 

 wonderful are thy works ! in wisdom hast thou made them all.'' 

 2nd. — Off Cape St. Francis, but out of sight of land. Four 

 Turnstones [Strepsilas inte7-p7-es) came off to us, and our first 

 and, as it proved, only Cape Pigeon {Daption capensis); Cape Hens 

 abundant. From this time all our old Cape friends appeared, 

 the first Gannet turning up off Cape St. Sebastian, in company 

 with a Gull in his first year's plumage. The little Petrels waited 

 on us till we rounded " Green Point," which we did on the 

 morning of the 9th ; and as if to welcome me back to my old 

 place, a shoal of Dolphins came tumbling and gamboling round 

 the ship. While we rowed ashore in the port boat, which my 

 old friend Wilson, the Port Captain, brought out ever so far to 

 pick up " the Curator," a flock of Penguins {Spheniscus demersus) 

 came up, grunted a " How do," and, turning " tail on end," went 

 on with their fishing below. A few moments after, the hearty 

 welcome of crowds of friends and the sight of old familiar faces 

 made me forget I had been away from the Cape for nearly six- 

 teen months. 



XXV. — The Ornithology of Formosa, or Taiwan. 



By Robert Swinhoe, Esq., F.Z.S. 



(Plate VI.) 



[Continued from p. 219.] 



13. Caprimulgus stictomus, Swinhoe : Caprimulgus, sp. ?, 



Swinhoe, Ibis, 1860, p. 47, et 1861, p. 30. 



This species has the naked tarse of C. monticola, Franklin 

 [gymnopus, Hodgs.), and has like it also in the male the exte- 

 rior lateral tail-feather white. I first made its acquaintance in 

 a copse on the Changchow River, near Amoy, where I have found 

 it several consecutive years at the end of September and begin- 

 ning of October. It is at that season always moulting, and its 



