400 Mr. R. Swinhoe on Formosan Ornithology/. 



greyish olive-brown, finely mottled with black. Tail reddish 

 brown_, barred with black-edged bars of rufous ochre, and mottled 

 all over with fine black strise. The maroon spots on the under 

 parts are more or less shaded with black. 



The female is rather less strong in form than the male, has a 

 wart instead of a spur, but, with the exception of the feathers 

 about the abdomen, is otherwise similar. 



The B. thoracica is at once distinguished from this species 

 by the rufous of the throat being extended to the cheeks and 

 sides of neck, by the rufous-ochre spots on its crown, and by the 

 large spots on the under parts being black, as well as by other 

 minor particulars in colouring. It is also of larger size and 

 proportions. 



A pair of immature birds were brought to me on the 16th 

 August 1861. They uttered a continuous loud fowl-like scream. 

 Their bills were blackish grey, with paler edges and tip ; inside 

 of mouth ochreous fiesh-colour. Iris hazel. Rim round eye 

 deep brown; bare skin about the eye greenish yellow. Legs 

 dark greenish grey, with greenish incipient spur in the male 

 bird, and brownish grey claws. Their stomachs contained grass- 

 seeds. Their flesh was sweet and tender. The immature bird 

 has no rufous on the crown ; the grey of the neck is pale and 

 brownish ; the throat pale ochreous white ; the under parts much 

 lighter, with only a few spots; the tail redder, and the wing- 

 coverts more distinctly spotted and marked. 



This and the Foochow Bamboo-fowl are of very similar habits 

 and notes. This species is found throughout all the hills of 

 Formosa, generally scattered about the bush, never in coveys. 

 It is very pugilistic, the males and females both singing the 

 same loud cry, beginning with kilbj-killy, and ending rapidly 

 with ke-put-kwai, which is so powerfully uttered that it may be 

 heard at a great distance. They are not easily flushed, lying so 

 close to the ground that you may walk over the spot whence the 

 noise appears to come, and rarely put up the bird. Each pair 

 selects its own beat, setting up, frequently during the day, the 

 challenge-note; and woe betide any other Partridge that en- 

 croaches on the forbidden ground ! They both set on him at 

 once, and buffet him without mercy till he takes to his heels. 



