426 Mr. R. Swinhoe's Ornithological Notes made at Chefoo. 



dozen specimens. Quails were arriving in large numbers ; and 

 many were daily caught and brought to market for sale, both 

 for food and for fighting-purposes. 



On the 9th May Mr. Campbell, of the lighthouse, sent me 

 a female Oyster-catcher, and a few days after (15th) the male. 

 In the female the rcmiges begin to show white on the shaft 

 of the first quill; in the male on the shaft of the third. 

 Neither has any indication of a white collar on the neck. 

 The characters best to be relied on for a discrimination of this 

 species from its European ally, H. ostraleyus, are the great 

 length of bill, and the black spots at tips of upper tail-coverts. 



The Rev. W. Corbett, an American missionary at Chefoo, 

 lent me a manuscript work by a Chinese, in four volumes, 

 containing illustrations by hand of birds, beasts, fishes, in- 

 sects, and plants. The work was picked up at an old book- 

 stall by the reverend gentleman. It had neither title nor 

 author^s name, no preface, and no date. The drawings are 

 coloured, and most of them life-size and recognizable, and are 

 intended apparently to illustrate the natural objects that the 

 artist has from time to time met with at Chefoo. The author 

 probably intended to publish the work, but for want of funds 

 disposed of the manuscript in the unfinished state it came 

 into our hands. I have found it useful in supplying native 

 names to many birds. I refer to it in the following notes as 

 'MS. Illustrations.' 



We left Chefoo on the 20th October, as it was advised that 

 we should fly its winter's cold. Its summer is insufferably 

 hot, depending on the sea-breezes for refreshment ; its winter, 

 on the other hand, is extremely cold, and the gales from the 

 sea very biting. It is true that it is open to shipping, and 

 that the Pekin mails are landed there for overland carriage 

 when the Peiho is frozen up ; but now and again it is so cold 

 that the harbour extending to the islands becomes one sheet 

 of solid ice. 



1. OspREY. Pandion haliaetus (L.). 



Mr. A. Michic, of Shanghai, on a visit to me, went out on 

 the 15th October, and brought back a male of this species. 



