South Formosa and its Birds. 323 



birds. Ignacio^ who went out with them, caught a pretty 

 little Quail {Excalfactoria chinensis). 



November \hth. Dull, showers. I went up Capiang Hill 

 before daybreak. This time Ignacio alone accompanied me. 

 While toiling up the mountain we caught a glimpse of a large 

 bird, which was, I believe, a Spizaetus, as he rose out o£ a 

 gully and disappeared over a ridge. In the brushwood on the 

 lower part of the hills I saw a few Troch. taivanum and Pom. 

 musicus, and towards the top heard the Tree-Pie {Dendrociita 

 formosce) . The direction we took was much the same as that 

 pursued on the 13th. We went over the crest of the hill 

 among the woods^ meeting at first little success. I saw 

 several birds, however, which I did not recognize and was 

 unable to shoot ; then, after I had reached a rather more open 

 part of the forest, I heard two birds calling to each other 

 with a peculiar whistle. Ignacio now told me that this was 

 the call of a bird known to him ; he had fired at and wounded 

 one the day before, but had failed to secure it. The descrip- 

 tion he gave of it was almost that oi Pitta oreas, so I remained 

 still for a long time, answering the call ; but all in vain, as 

 nothing came along. I subsequently offered a reward for a 

 specimen, but none were ever brought to me. 



My first capture was again a Notodela montium, just finish- 

 ing its moult. Lower down a flock of Minivets {Pericrocotus 

 griseigularis^ settled with loud screams on the trees overhead. 

 A couple of Black Drougos [Buchanga atra) were after them, 

 contributing luore than their share to the uproar. I shot two 

 of the Minivets, both of them green-and-yellow birds. A 

 small orchid, with an insignificant little green floAver, was 

 abundant here, growing on the large creepers ; it is the only 

 orchid I noticed in these woods. A kind of cinnamon also 

 occurs, the bark of the long trailing roots being the part 

 used as spice. My guide told me that it was used for per- 

 fuming native tobacco. Near the spot where Ave had rested 

 on the 13th we struck a native path which led straight up- 

 hill. My companion was unwilling to follow it, saying that 

 it led to a village of the aborigines, but, after a little pressing, 



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