1870.] MR. R. SWINHOE ON A NEW DEER FROM CHINA. 89 
ing to the boles or branches in various attitudes, and searching with 
its hard curved bill for insects under the decayed bark. When thus 
engaged it utters a great variety of chirps and guttural sounds, in- 
terspersed with short agreeable notes. It has also a continuous 
song, low and varied, with a peculiar ventriloquism in some notes 
which gives the listener a confused idea that the performer approaches 
and retires when singing. The first bird of this species I shot was 
but slightly wounded in the wing, and fell into a stream; to my 
great surprise it began singing as it floated about on the surface of 
the water, and even when I had taken it out continued to sing at 
intervals in my hand. I subsequently found a nest of this bird; it 
was about 7 inches deep, composed entirely of lichens curiously 
woven together, and suspended from the twigs of a low tree. The 
male and female fluttered round me, manifesting great anxiety (though 
there were no eggs in the nest), and uttering a rapid succession of 
notes, very different from their usual song. But what was most 
surprising in this singing to express their trouble was the close re- 
semblance of every note to those of some other bird, generally of one 
of our common songsters (such as Turdus rufiventris, Mimus calan- 
dria, and others). In a few days I returned to the spot to secure 
the nest and observe them again, but found, to my sorrow, nest and 
birds had disappeared. Perhaps Icterus pyrrhopterus possesses the 
faculty of imitation ; at the time I heard this pair I thought it could 
not be otherwise, but I have not observed them long enough to be 
positive. Certainly they are incapable of expressing their passions 
by harsh or loud notes. “I am, Sir, truly yours, 
“ WititriAm H. Hupson.”’ 

The following papers were read :— 
1. On a new Deer from China. 
By R. Swinuog, F.Z.S. 
(Plates VI. & VIL) 
While in Formosa I was informed by a gentleman there, who had 
lived at the port of Chinkiang, that a Hog-backed Deer, with coarse 
hair, was common on an island in the river Yangtsze and afforded 
excellent sport to the European residents during the winter. From 
my friend’s description, I supposed the animal to be Hyelaphus por- 
cinus of India, and communicated the fact to Mr. P. L. Sclater, 
who read my notice to this Society on the 27th June, 1865 (see 
P. Z. S. 1865, p. 510). Last winter I had the opportunity of 
visiting Shanghai, and found this so-called Hog-deer in the market, 
and then saw it to be quite a distinct species, without horns, and of 
great interest. I have brought home with me the skin and skull of 
a buck, and the skulls of two does. These I beg to exhibit to this 
Meeting, and to propose for this new Deer the specific term of inermis, 
from its hornless state, and to place it under a new genus, for which 
