Mr. R. Swinhoe on Formosan Oi-nithology . 385 



Note on a female shut 27th March, 1862. — Length 20^ in. ; 

 wing Ij^; tail 13|; tarse If. Bill and legs bright red lead, 

 the former tipped paler ; sole-pads hght and dingy ; claws light 

 reddish brown. Inside of mouth flesh-colour ; tongue broad 

 and fleshy ; apical y^^^hs horny and ochreous, terminating obtusely 

 with cilia a little turned up. Iris clear light king^s yellow, some- 

 what pearly in appearance. Ear-covert nearly as large as the 

 eye, with an operculum small and almost central. Eyelid thick, 

 blackish brown, with a narrow outer rim of orange lead-colour. 



The ovary contained numerous partially developed eggs ; the 

 oviduct was well developed. Right lobe of liver l—^^ in.; left 1^. 

 Oesophagus h inch wide, enlarging into the proventriculus, which 

 gradually distends as it descends. Stomach an irregular oval, 

 somewhat flabby, and not very muscular, 1^ in. long, by 1 broad, 

 and i in. deep. Epithelium somewhat thick, furrowed widely in all 

 directions ; containing a small Melolonthine beetle, a large berry- 

 seed, and remains of banyan-figs. Caeca about ^ in. long, and ^ 

 thick, one placed a little higher than the other, and distant about 

 I inch from the anus. Intestine 14i in. long, thick and fleshy, 

 varying in thickness from -^ to ^. 



The male has a larger bill, and somewhat longer wings and 

 tail, than the female ; but both sexes vary a good deal in propor- 

 tions inter se. In the older specimens the tomice of the upper 

 mandible are often worn into a serrated appearance. 



Entire head, hind neck, throat, and breast black. General plu- 

 mage dusky purplish azure, duskier on the under parts. Wings 

 brownish black, the outer webs of primaries and secondaries and 

 the greater part of the tertiaries being of the same colour as the 

 back, a large white spot at tip of each quill, becoming smaller and 

 obscure as the last primaries are reached. Underwings washed 

 with rufous. Upper tail-coverts broadly margined with black, pre- 

 ceded by a whitish shade, and in some cases tipped with a white 

 spot ; these feathers have a beautiful appearance. Tail consisting 

 of twelve feathers ; the two central ones somewhat spatulate at 

 the end, with turned-up sides, the spatula white, the remaining 

 portions of the two feathers purplish azure, with black shafts • 

 the 2nd tail-feather with a much smaller white spot, preceded by 

 a broad black band, the black increasing in extent on the other 



