S-i Lieut. E. E. Vauglian and Staff-Surg. K. H. Jones 



in habits and diet to closely resemble the common British 

 species. 



Eggs of this bird were not obtained, but a nest placed 

 in the crevice of a rock overhanging the water closely 

 resembled that of Cinclus aquaticus. 



On July 5th, 1905, the female was shot, but the male 

 never took another mate, so that this species is perhaps 

 what might be described as a sporadic resident. 



Myiophoneus ceruleus. 



The Chinese Blue Whistling-Thrush is a common resident 

 at Hong Kong, Macao, and on many of the- small islands 

 in their vicinity. The only place away from the coast in 

 which it occurs is Howlik, about twenty miles from Samshui, 

 where it is also resident. 



This species has a great partiality for running water, far 

 from which it is seldom found, although at times a dried-up 

 nullah seems to attract it. When settling on a boulder it 

 has a habit of suddenly spreading out its tail fanwise, which 

 is very attractive. Its usual note is a low, mournful, but 

 very penetrating whistle, repeated at intervals and quite 

 unmistakable for that of any other species. 



In the breeding-season the cock on rare occasions gives 

 vent to a variety of whistling notes, which, although hardly 

 amounting to a song, are very pleasing to the ear. When 

 alarmed the cry is ' a shrill whistle, sharper and louder 

 than the ordinary note. 



The nest is a massive well-built structure, always largely 

 composed of moss and rootlets, and lined with the aerial 

 rootlets of Ficus retusa and a few dead leaves. 



At Howlik the nest was usually placed under the eaves of 

 a small temple, and at Hong Kong on a ledge or other 

 projection of masonry ; under a bridge is a favourite 

 situation, or an empty overflow water-pipe of sufficient 

 calibre has been employed ; but perhaps the site most 

 preferred is one of the huge piles of granite boulders so 

 common on the Kwang Tung coast, and whe.n so placed 

 it is practically inaccessible. 



