Mr. B,. Swinhoe on Formosan Ornithology. 271 



In this large Butcher-bird we have an apparent confirmation 

 of the modern theory of development. I have a large series of 

 skins from Amoy, many of which show a strong tendency to 

 lapse away into other closely affine species. Some have the 

 frontal band reaching almost to the occiput, and lean towards 

 L. nigriceps; others have the head nearly grey, and incline 

 towards L. caniceps; others have the tertiaries broadly mar- 

 gined with bufi'-white, thus approaching L. erythronotus. Many 

 of the smaller species seem to be descendants from, or, at least, 

 of the same origin as, the Chinese type, and, though varying 

 among themselves, always carry characters sufficient to dis- 

 tinguish them. These Indian and Malayan forms are mostly 

 smaller ; but in Formosa we have a bird of the same size and 

 habits, and indeed singularly identical in every respect with the 

 Chinese bird, except in a few of its hues. From my large series 

 of Chinese skins I can produce one example or two undistin- 

 guishable from the Formosan variety, and from my Formosan 

 skins I find an occasional specimen entirely like the Chinese 

 bird, and yet, taken as series, they might by some be separated 

 as of different species. 



The Formosan variety is much whiter on the under parts, the 

 tint that pervades it being rosier and less ochreous than in the 

 Chinese. In the majority of specimens the lower flanks and 

 vent only are chestnut. The crown of the head is of a uniform 

 colour with the hind neck, and not whitish grey. The tertiary 

 quills are broadly margined with whitish chestnut ; and the inner 

 web of the first tail-feathers is black, instead of pale brown 

 mottled with black. In this last the Formosan birds show a 

 constancy, whereas the Chinese specimens have all proportions 

 of black and pale brown. But, like the Chinese, the Formosan 

 birds also evince a wonderful tendency to vary, some having the 

 frontal black much higher than others, others the tertiaries 

 margined with white instead of chestnut; others, again, have 

 the first quills pale reddish brown, with scarcely any white spot 

 on the wing. 



Average length of male 10 inches; wing 4^; tail 5^. The 

 female is usually smaller, with rather shorter wings and tail. 



This group of Shrikes, with its comparatively short wings and 



