1864.] MR. R. SWINHOE ON A NEW RAT FROM FORMOSA. 185 
grey, passing into white near the tip, and broadly margined with 
black ; lesser wing-coverts grey; greater coverts grey at the base, 
passing into black about the middle of the feathers, beyond which 
they are creamy white; primaries very dark or blackish brown ; 
lower part of the throat and all the under surface pale buff; sides of 
the breast and the whole of the flanks down to the tail deep rich 
buff, with two narrow irregular crescentic bands of blackish brown 
on each feather, one within the other, the outer one near the edge, 
the inner one near the middle ; a similar style of marking pervades 
the space behind the legs, the lower part of the back, and the upper 
tail-coverts, but the markings in those parts are wider, of a greyer 
tint, and intermingled with each other; tail greyish brown, the 
central feathers freckled on their margins with greyish white. 
Total length 23 inches ; bill 22; wing 10; tail 44; tarsi 2. 
Hab. China. 
Remark.—The above description was taken from an example which 
I consider to be either immature or in its winter livery. In size it 
is intermediate between Mergus castor and M. merganser. When- 
ever a specimen is procured in its nuptial dress, it will doubtless prove 
to be a bird of great beauty. This new species is at once distin- 
guished from the other members of its genus by the squamate form 
of the markings on the flanks, which has suggested the specific 
name assigned to it. 
May 10, 1864. 
Dr. E. Hamilton in the Chair. 
The following papers were read :— 
1. On a New Rat From Formosa. By Rosert Swinuor, 
F.Z.S. 
MUs CONINGA, 0. sp. 
M. corpore supra rufo, setis nigris spinosis sparso, subtus abrupte 
albo: auribus rotundis, fuscis : cauda longa, sqguamosa, setosa : 
pedibus albis. 
Corp. long. 8 poll., caud. 9 poll. 
Upper parts reddish brown, sprinkled with stiff black bristles, more 
especially on the back, where the fur is also often a little dark ; ears 
and fore part of legs deep brown; tail composed of short rings of 
seales set with short stiff bristles, deep brown on its upper parts, 
whitish on the lower and for about 12 inch of tip ; a ring of black 
runs round the lids of the eye; whiskers on sides of muzzle and a 
few hairs on sides of the forehead very long and glossy black; fore 
teeth rufous sienna, those on lower jaw long; chin, breast, under 
