426 Mr. R. Swinhoe on Formosan Ornitholoyy. 



S , in summer. " Length 16 in. ; wing 8^% ; tail 3 j*^y, of ten 

 feathers. Bill bright yellow, washed, on the upper mandible 

 chiefly, with light greenish. Frontal crest 1 j^ in. long, and 

 with the loral space coloured vermilion. Inside of mouth flesh- 

 colour. Rim round the eye deep brown ; iris bright chestnut. 

 Legs greyish leek-green, greyer on the tarsal front, and paler 

 on the soles; claws brown." 



$ , brought alive, 12th August (caught off nest). " Length 13 

 in. ; wing 6^ ; tail 2\, of ten feathers, somewhat graduated. 

 Bony crest and base of culmen fleshy wood-brown, rest of cul- 

 men brownish ; bill light greenish yellow, flesh-coloured on 

 gonys, and yellow at edges. Liside of mouth flesh-coloured; 

 tongue fleshy, furrowed down the middle, very gradually nar- 

 rowing to the tip, which is obtuse, horny, and setaceous. Iris 

 deep yellowish hazel ; eyelids ochreous brown. Ear small and 

 round, operculum quite exposed. Legs and toes light dusky 

 yellowish green, with a wash of grey; claws brown." 



Its nest consists of a pile of rushes and flags, placed at the 

 roots of growing rushes in the marsh, and contains usually 

 from seven to eleven greenish cream-coloured eggs, blotched and 

 spotted with cinnamon-red. Many are, however, almost entirely 

 washed with a strong cinnamon-colour, blending the blotches 

 together. Length 1*75 in.; breadth 1-25. 



The dissimilarity of size, as well as of colour, in the sexes of 

 this bird has led many of the older naturalists to consider them 

 distinct species. It is distributed, according to Blyth, through- 

 out India and the Malay countries. In South China it is not 

 an uncommon summer visitant. 



166. PORZANA FUSCA, L. 



p. erythrothorax, Schlegel, Faun. Japon. 



Abundant about Taiwanfoo. It lays over seven eggs, on a 

 reed-formed nest at the roots of rushes. The eggs vaiy in 

 ground-colour from nearly white to deep cream, and are sparsely 

 spotted and freckled with cinnamon-red and light purplish grey. 

 Their average dimensions are 1*2 in. by "85; they are in some 

 cases attenuated at both ends. 



