Mr. R. Swinhoe on the Ornithology of Hainan. 243 



the Indian bird, which visits South China in summer, V. lugu- 

 bris (Sundev.), V. melaschistos of my former lists {cf. Hartl. 

 J. f. 0. 1865, p. 161). I have one male and three females 

 from Hainan. 



Adult male. — Upper and under parts deep cinereous-grey, 

 mixed with a little brown on the latter ; the under tail-coverts 

 yellowish-grev, the longer feathers thereof being tipped with 

 white. Wing deep bronzed-black, the lesser and greater coverts 

 margined with grey, the winglet and quills with light yellowish- 

 grey. Tail bronzed-black, with two outer rectrices broadly 

 tipped with white, the others less so. Bill and legs black. Iris 

 deep brown. Length about 8 ; wing^'i; tail 4'2 ; bill from 

 forehead '65 ; tarsus '78. 



Adult female. — General colour lighter, and not so cinereous 

 as in the male. Back and scapulars strongly tinged with brown, 

 as also are the breast and flanks. Wings and tail browner, but 

 having the green gloss. Wing-coverts and tertials edged with 

 grey, primaries edged with white for the greater part of their 

 length. Outer feather of the tail '9 shorter than the middle; 

 outer quill of the wing 1*65 shorter than the longest. 



The younger females have the axillaries and ventral feathers 

 edged with white, and the vent and subcaudals waved obscurely 

 with black. 



The adult female has a conspicuous white wing-patch on the 

 inner webs of the central primaries ; another female, younger, 

 or with some abdominal cross-marks, has only a few white 

 freckles on the edges of the inner webs ; a third, younger still, 

 has no white at all. The adult male shows a defined edge of 

 white specks {cf P. Z. S. 1863, p. 282). 



V, saturata, Ilaiuau § 



J? ?) + • 



V. higuhris, Cautou S 

 ., Amoy $ 



That this Caterpillar- catcher is a resident in Hainan I should 

 infer from its being found there in February. I frequently 

 came across it in various parts of the country. It was stealthy 

 in its habits, seeking the cover of umbrageous trees and bushes, 

 and in its flight and actions much resembled the Polyphasice. 



