Mr. R. Swinhoe on the Ornithology of Hainan. 251 



Among the hedges and copses of central Hainan I several times 

 came across small parties of this bird, babbling to themselves as 

 they crept through the twigs and leaves. They were not so 

 bold in habits as P. musicus of Formosa; and I did not see 

 them throw their tails up, as is done by P. stridulus of South 

 China. The freshly moulted tail so altered the appearance of 

 the bird that I thought at first that there were two species ; but 

 on shooting both I discovered what led to the mistake. The 

 Hainan bird is smaller than P. musicus, and has its nearest 

 ally in P. stridulus. 



72. Hypsipetes perniger, sp. n. (Plate IX. fig. 2.) ^ 



General colour deep black, the feathers broadly glc4&^tf on. 

 their margins, reflecting an obscure tint of deep greyish-green ; 

 quills and tail without the gloss. Bill and legs coral-red ; claws 

 brown. Irides deep chestnut. 



Length about 9 ; wing 4-9 ; tail 4*5 , of 12 broad feathers. 



When Mr. Gould was about to describe the Hypsipetes from 

 Formosa {cf. Ibis, 1863, p. 287), I called his attention to its 

 dark colour as compared with the Indian species; and he pro- 

 posed for it the title of H nigerrimus, remarking at the same 

 time that a blacker bird was sure to turn up some day. Sure 

 enough, here it is ! On the 10th of February, as I was return- 

 ing from the small Roman-Catholic station at Lingshanshe, dis- 

 tant ten miles from Kiung-chow-foo, to my quarters in that city, 

 I looked into a bamboo- copse and saw above me one of this 

 species. It was sitting quietly among the leaves and warbling 

 to itself. I got the bird, and was delighted to see, by the absence 

 of grey from its wings and tail, that I had got the prophesied 

 species. In form it is most nearly allied to the Formosan bird ; 

 but its notes diff'er from those of that species. I found it abun- 

 dant in central Hainan, and also in the jungles of the south. 

 It goes about in parties, often of a considerable number, and 

 keeps much to the tops of trees. Some of the gunboat people 

 bought a couple of them alive at Hoitow ( W. Hainan) ; but they 

 soon pined to death. 



73. Hemixus CASTANONOTus, sp. n. (Plate IX. fig. 1). 

 AUied to H. flavala, Hodgs. (Jerd., B. Ind. ii. p. 80), of Ne- 



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