Nesting of Birds in Fohkien. 57 



their cage. To this box they would retire directly after a 

 meal, and there lie down. Before the box was put into the 

 cage they used to lie on the bottom after a meal, as well as 

 at night, at which time they were very hard to rouse. If an 

 attempt was made to touch them with the hand they would 

 sidle away uttering a low hissing sound. When in the box 

 the young bird would strike fiercely with its talons if any 

 attempt was made to touch it. These birds had a strong 

 and very unpleasant " garlicky " smell. 



They were sent home to the Zoological Society's Gardens, 

 where they soon died. An illustration of them appeared 

 in the < Field' (xci. p. 141, 1898). 



TURTUR RUP1COLA (Pall.). 



A common resident. La Touche notes it as " fairly 

 common at Kuatun." 



We have, however, only one clutch of eggs, dated 

 "beginning of May." They measure 136 x "1 and 1*30 x 

 1* 10 in. : one is oval, the other oval pointed at one end. They 

 have but little gloss. 



TURTUR CHJNENSIS (Scop.). 



A very common resident. 



The nest is the usual flimsy structure of sticks, placed in 

 a tree, high bush, or thick creeper. The eggs are elliptic 

 oval in shape, with (sometimes) one end more pointed than 

 the other. 



Seventeen eggs average 1 • 14 x *87in. : the largest T20x '89, 

 the smallest 1-08 x "85. 



Turtur HUMiLis (Temm.). 



Common in summer on the plains. A few individuals 

 winter about Foochow. They nest in trees and lay pale 

 cream-coloured eggs. 



A wounded bird brought to La Touche laid an egg on the 

 following day that was of a much deeper colour than usual. 



Phasianus torquatus Gm. 



Considering that these birds are shot and trapped by the 

 natives at all seasons, and that vermin, furred and feathered, 

 abound, it is wonderful that Pheasants are as numerous as 



