38 Mr. J. D. 1). La Touche on the 



123. Embkkiza RUTiLA Pall. 



We have several adult and immature examples of this 

 Bunting from Kuatun shot in spring and autumn. I shot 

 on the 3rd May one of three birds that rose out of a 

 patch of swampy grass in a bamboo-grove in the valley of 

 Upper Kuatun. On the 11th May a very pale specimen was 

 shot close to the village. In this bird the upper parts have 

 faded so much that only the crown remains dark-coloured, 

 this being of a dull reddish brown. The occiput, hind 

 neck, and interscapular region are very pale pinkish, glossed 

 and (between the shoulders) tipped with lemon-yellow. The 

 rest of the upper parts are very pale reddish. The quills are 

 very pale pinkish brown ; the outer webs of the first five 

 primaries whitish, edged with lemon-yellow ; the innermost 

 secondaries whitish. The upper wing-coverts pearly pink, 

 with pale brown and yellowish edges and two pale bars 

 across the wings. The rectrices have also faded to pale 

 pinkish brown and white. The chin is dull yellowish white, 

 and the rest of the underparts is yellow, with tinges of reddish 

 on the breast, a few brown streaks on the flanks, and paling 

 on the under tail-coverts to yellowish white. This bird is a 

 female, but the plumage resembles rather that of the male of 

 this species, especially on the breast, where there is still a 

 single red feather. The stomach contained a caterpillar. 



121. Melophus melanicterus (Gm.). 



This bird appears to be a common resident species all over 

 the Fohkien hills. At Kuatun it nests in the tea-plantations. 

 Our men took a nest with two eggs on the 17th May, 1897. 

 One of these eggs is an almost perfect oval and measures 

 0*83xO"63 inch. It is greenish white, heavily marked all 

 over with brown and reddish-grey spots, blotches, and short 

 streaks. The grey markings and a few of the surface-spots 

 coalesce on the broad end into large blotches and form a 

 rough but well-marked cap. 



On the 13th May, 1898, I sent Chunkai to take a nest 

 that had been found for us near the village. This nest 

 was placed under a tea-bush on an extremely steep slope. 



