262 Mr. R. Swinhoe on Formosan OrnithologT/. 



exposed, placed behind the plane of the eye. Skin of cheek and 

 ear blackish grey. Almost immediately after death, the blue of 

 the bill fades away and changes to leaden, and thence to black. 

 The same thing takes place, but not so speedily, in the colour of 

 the legs. The bills of young birds, until the spring moult, are 

 blackish brown. I have observed this same evanescent nature 

 in the blue bills and feet of several other birds, as also in the 

 blue tints of many flowers, especially those that spring from 

 damp ground and contain a large amount of moisture. 



I dissected a female, shot 30th August, 1861. CEsophagus 

 contracts to about y\j in., then expands gradually into the proven- 

 triculus. Gizzard nearly round, compressed laterally, diameter 

 i in., depth -^ ; epithelium furrowed with a network of rugse, of 

 a deep flesh-brown tint, containing Dipterous insects. Intestine 

 5y^jj in., unusually white, -^j^ at thickest part. Cseca small and 

 adnate, ^ in. from anus, the right one placed higher than left; 

 both less than ^ in diameter. 



About Taiwanfoo and Apes' Hill this species is specially 

 abundant, frequenting the numerous plantations of tall graceful 

 bamboos. Among the thickest and shadiest boughs of these 

 trees it loves to sit, uttering its harsh grating note, and quar- 

 relling with every other bird that comes within its reach. Its 

 flights after insects are short, and usually merely a skip from 

 one bough to another. It nidificates much in the manner of the 

 common Flycatcher [Muscicapa grisola) at home, building a 

 deep purse-like nest of spider's web and catkins in the forks of 

 tree-branches, usually preferring a branch that leans against a 

 tree or wall. The eggs, numbering from 4 to 5, and rarely to 7, 

 are, when fresh, pinky white, spotted, especially at the larger 

 end, with deep madder-pink spots and light pinkish grey. They 

 vary somewhat in size, the largest egg measuring '6 by '48. 



23. Hemichelidon latirostrts (Raffles). 

 Muscicapa cinerdo-alha, Schleg. Faun. Japon. 

 Visits Formosa in summer, but not in any numbers. 



24. Hemichelidon griseisticta, Swinhoe, ^Ibis,' 1861, 



p. 330. 



This species, which I first discovered in Amoy, also ranges to 

 Formosa as a summer visitant. 



