268 Mr. R. Swinhoe on Formosan Ornithology. 



curiously enough, it seems almost entirely confined in China to 

 the small 30 niiles^ area comprised by this valley, and there it 

 is very common. It has also occurred at Anioy, but only as a 

 very rare straggler. 



Dissection of male shot 11th October, 1861. Heart | in. 

 long by y^. Liver, right lobe -^-^ in. long, left y^^. Trachea some- 

 what compressed at pharynx, which is covered on each side with 

 strong muscles; the bronchi bulge at first, but narrow again 

 shortly after, and continue of uniform size into the lungs. (Eso- 

 phagus ^in. wide, very gradually widening towards the proven- 

 triculus, which is ^ long by p^, wide. Gizzard somewhat mus- 

 cular, roundish, in diameter ^ in., depth \ ; epithelium leathery, 

 longitudinally furrowed, containing chiefly Coleoptera and Cimi- 

 cidse. Intestine ^~ in., varying in thickness from ^ to y^ ; 

 caeca, 1 inch from anus, y^^ long by ^ wide, one placed a little 

 higher than the other. 



The young birds are brownish black on the upper parts, 

 slightly washed with dark green. The wings and tail also 

 brownish black, but more strongly washed with dark green, the 

 feathers being obscurely edged with light brown. The under 

 parts are blackish brown, a few of the feathers being faintly 

 margined with a lighter colour. The edge of the wing and the 

 axillaries are broadly striated with white. The moult comes on 

 almost before the nestling has acquired full feathers, in the 

 male the transition from the soft brown plumage of the young 

 into the uniform glossy greenish black of the adult being at 

 once accomplished ; but in the female the white striae and spots 

 of the axillaries often continue for years. The feathers of the 

 vent become almost white, and those of the breast and belly 

 broadly margined with the same. The female does eventually 

 assume the uniform colour of the male, but not entirely for the 

 first three years of her existence. She can even then be always 

 distinguished by her smaller size and her less-developed tail. 

 The shape and proportions of the bill vary a good deal in my 

 series of skins. 



Average length. Wing. Tail. 



Male 11 inches. 6 6^^ 



Female. . . . 10| „ 5^ 5i 



