G52 i\Ir. W, R. Ogilvie-Grant on the 



Male. Total length ca. 140 mm.; wing GG ; tail 50; 

 tarsus 21. 



Female. Total length ca. 1-10 mm. ; wing G2 ; tail 46 ; 

 tarsus 19. 



The Chinese species, B. carolince La Touche [cf. Bull. 

 B. O. C. viii. p. ix (1898)], also has the plumage of the sexes, 

 similar oi' very nearly so, hut it is a much smaller aiul more 

 brightly-coloured bird, with the middle of the breast and 

 belly white. 



]\Ir. Goodfellow has supplied me with the following note 

 about the finding of this species : — 



'' This Short-wing was neither seen nor heard before the 

 end of February or early March. It required a great deal 

 of looking for and the exercise of much patience, owing 

 to its habit of concealing itself low down in the thick 

 bamboo-scrub which forms the chief undergrowth in the 

 cypress forests. It was some time after the first specimens 

 were obtained that I was able with certainty to identify this 

 species with a beautiful song which had puzzled me much for 

 some time. Even after I had entirely satisfied myself, doubts 

 existed for some time longer among the Japanese in my camp 

 as to whether the Brachypteryx was really the songster. The 

 call-notes of both sexes are full and rich, but the song of the 

 male is well sustained and has a surprising variety of notes ; 

 it was heard at almost all hours of the day up to dark. Even 

 the Japanese, whose ideas of music are so very different from 

 ours, waxed quite enthusiastic over it. 



" It seems as if this species must either go to the southern 

 end of the island or much lower down the mountains during 

 the extreme winter months, for it is a fact that after February 

 there was quite a sudden influx of them. "When returning 

 to the coast, early in April, they appeared to be even more 

 numerous just below the little Government settlement at 

 6000 ft. than they had been around my camp. Here, for a 

 short time on the march, their song was heard on all sides. 



" Although the bird was not rare, it was very difficult to 

 shoot owing to its retiring habits. I have often waited 

 lialf-an-hour to get a shot at one which had been calling 



