South Formosa and its Birds. 317 



hamlets ou the plain^ is traversed by wide sandy roads. I 

 proceeded at ouce to the Catholic Mission, where Father 

 Colomer put a large room at my disposal. After dinner I 

 engaged a man to take me up the mountains next morning. 



November 11th. Fine, cool breeze, hot sun. My guide 

 arrived punctually towards dawn, and we started for the 

 nearest hills. These form a small range, the highest hill of 

 which, called Capiang by the villagers, attains a height of 

 perhaps 2000 feet. The slopes facing the plain are nearly 

 denuded of timbev, except in some few favoured spots, but 

 thick woods clothe the inner slopes from top to base. A 

 fine gorge, enclosed on one side by this first range, runs 

 nearly parallel to the plain for some distance, and then turns 

 oflf to the E.j apparently leading to the high mountains. The 

 hills in this part of Formosa are, I believe, chiefly formed of 

 schists and slate, and the surface of the plain near the hills 

 is covered with slaty stones. I could not reach the forest 

 that day, my guide not having understood where I wanted to 

 go, and being probably afraid to venture too far alone with 

 me. After climbing aimlessly through thick jungle, and 

 neither seeing nor hearing any birds, I went down again, 

 and, following the foot of the hills, reached the opening of 

 the gorge mentioned above, which is some four miles N. of 

 Bangkimtsing. A beautiful stream of clear water flows 

 down the gorge into the plain over a pebbly bed. The 

 outer hills overlooking the stream on its N. bank rise to a 

 height of at least 3000 feet. The forest only appears in 

 patches on their precipitous slopes, while the hills that 

 continue further up the valley seem to be more generally 

 wooded. The inner mountains at the back of Bangkim- 

 tsing rise to a good height, 9050 feet according to the 

 Admiralty chart of Formosa. Forest covers them as far as 

 I could see. 



Here I made another attempt to ascend the hills, but after 

 proceeding for a short distance up a dry torrent- bed, over- 

 shadowed by tall jungle, brushwood and ferns, I had to desist, 

 Ignacio, my guide, telling me that we were in savage ter- 

 ritorv, where the inhabitants were at war with the Bangkim- 



