Extracts from Correspondence, Announcements, i^c. 409 



Pallas, the second species noted in the 'Fauna Japonica/ This 

 bird is not usually found at Amoy, but its occurrence here is 

 probably due to the unusually cold and high winds that have 

 lately occurred on this coast. My specimen is partially moulted 

 into the plumage of the adult, and has a few white filamentous 

 feathers on the head and neck. 



" The Common Crane {Grus cinerea) occurs every winter at 

 Swatow, lower down the coast than Amoy, in flocks of 100 or 

 so. They live during their stay chiefly on sweet potatoes (the 

 tuber of Batatas edulis). I have procured a partially moulted 

 specimen from that port. 



" The Dutch Consul at Amoy has lately made, an excursion to 

 the tea-districts at Hing-yang, some 150 miles inland of this, 

 and has brought back the following birds not found near Amoy : 

 Urocissa sinensis, Emberiza cio'ides of the ' Fauna Japonica,' 

 Enicurus schistaceus (?), Ruticilla fuliginosa, and my Hypsipetes 

 holtii. These specimens are at present in the hands of Mr. 

 G. Schlegel at Amoy, and will eventually grace the Leyden col- 

 lection." 



"Amoy, May 4,1861. 



" Referring to my letter of 20th February *, I must tell you 

 that I have this summer procured a couple of Larvivora gracilis, 

 one similar to the one described, and the other of the same form 

 and size, but blue on the upper parts and j^wre ivhite on all the 

 under parts. This last was a male, and the former a female. 

 Therefore the bird described in the letter referred to was a male 

 in the ' livree de passage,' and not in full plumage, and the 

 species may yet prove to be L. cyanea of Hodgson. 



" Of the Common Cormorant that winters on this coast, I have 

 lately procured a full-plumaged male. It resembles the bird of the 

 ' Fauna Japonica,' except that its cheeks are not white, as there 

 represented, but of a uniform bronze with the rest of the head 

 and neck, which are thickly sown with thick white filaments. 



" The Brachypternus from Foochovv is much larger (nearly 

 double the size) than B. badius of Java, of which Mr. Blyth has 

 favoured me with a pair. It is of a much richer brown, but 

 would appear o hervvise similar. 



* See anteu, ]>. 2(52. 



VOL. III. 2 E 



