688 MR. R. SYVINHOE ON CHINESE BIRDS. [Nov. 4, 



Urocissa brevivexilla, sp. nov. 



Pallida, vexillis caudce brevibus, parvis punctis albis terminatis : 

 long tot. 185 poll. Angl., alee 725, caudce 12. 



The tail is nearly equally graduated throughout ; or, to speak 

 more in detail, the first or outer rectrix is 4 inches long, the second 

 1*2 longer, the third 1*1 longer again, the fourth 1*2 more, the 

 fifth 2 longer, and the centrals only 2 inches longer again, instead of 

 heing considerably longer as in, I think, all the other species. All 

 the rectrices are narrower than in U. sinensis, especially near their 

 tips, which end almost in points. The two centrals are very narrow, 

 and have their white tips only "7 inch long. The under tail-coverts 

 fall 1*2 short of tip of first rectrix, instead of reaching to near its 

 end. The general plumage is paler, the wing-coverts coloured 

 as the back, and the black of the throat and breast mixed with 

 violet-grey. Bid and legs red, and about the same size as in the 

 other. This species is only known from the western hills of Pekin. 



While on the subject of North-China birds, it is as well to remark 

 that several of the novelties introduced to science by M. J. Verreaux 

 as " recueillis par M. l'Abbe Armand David dans les montagnes 

 du Thibet Chinois," were actually procured near Pekin, or in 

 the Ordo Mountains, and were not even seen by our traveller in 

 Chinese Thibet, or he would have noted it. M. David is very careful 

 always in stating his localities ; and it is a shame that the authorities 

 at the Museum du Jardin des Plantes should admit such confusion 

 into their scientific papers. In the recent list of 33 novelties (Nouv. 

 Arch. torn. vii. 1871, Bull. p. 25) no less than 5 have been received 

 only from North China. They are the following : — 



(6) Tardus auritus, which appeared to me too like T. musicus to 

 separate. 



(18) Arundinax davidiana, A large size of my A. Jlemingi. 

 This may be a good species, differing perhaps as A. cantans does 

 from A. cantillans ('Fauna Japonica'), or my A. canturiens from my 

 A. minuta. 



(26) Parus pekinensis. This is described under A. David's name 

 without any reference to the former description in the ' Ibis ' (18/0, 

 p. 155). 



(27) Mecistura vinacea is the Orites ouratensis, A. David, MS., 

 of my Catalogue, No. 186 ; but as Pere David did not describe it, 

 the now published name will have the precedence. 



(32) Pyrgilauda davidiana, a new genus and species, is the 

 "Passer ouratensis, A. David, in Mus. Pekin." of my catalogue, 

 No. 383. For the same reason as in the last, Pere David's name 

 will have to give way. 



These five species were represented by specimens in the Mu- 

 seum at Pekin ; the deduction of these 5 leaves the number of 

 Moupin novelties 28. This number we have to reduce again by 

 deducting four more, which M. Verreaux had already described 

 (Nouv. Arch. 1869, Bull), viz. Trochalopterum formosum, Yuhina 

 diademata, Suthora gularis, and Mecistura fuliginosa (the last two 



