1863.] LITTLE-KNOWN BIRDS FROM CHINA. 93 



Length 4-6; wing 2-23; tail 1*88 ; tarsi "7; bill, along cul- 

 men, •42. 



First quill very small, narrow, and pointed, about "34 long ; second 

 quill -28 shorter than the third and fourth, which are equal and long- 

 est ; the fifth quill • 1 5 shorter than the third and fourth ; the sixth 

 •22 shorter than the fifth. Tail much graduated, the rectrices heing 

 narrowed at their tips ; tarsi thick ; toes and claws strong, the hind 

 toe and claw especially so. 



LOCUSTKLLA MACROPUS, n. Sp. 



The Grasshopper-Larks, when procured, are the easiest of all the 

 Reed-birds to distinguish. For if there is any doubt from their ex- 

 ternal appearance, one has only to examine the tibial tendons. In 

 all three species procured at Amoy, these have proved quite rigid, 

 like those of gallinaceous birds. Mr. Blyth tells me this holds good 

 in the L. ruhescens of India, and I expect it will be found also so in 

 the European species. It was first brought to my attention by an 

 intelligent Chinese bird-stuffer I used to employ, who was rather 

 astonished to find them so hard as to blunt his scissors. I have, 

 curiously enough, three good species oi Locustella from Amoy. One, 

 a male of a very richly coloured species, was procured in our garden 

 on the 2nd September, and is evidently a winter visitant to South 

 China. This turns out, as I had expected, to be L. ochotensis (Midd. 

 Siber. Reise), from the Amoor and North Japan (Capt. Blakiston). 

 The other two are both summer birds with us, being generally found 

 about in May. The first of these, shot 31st May, 1861, at Amoy, 

 approaches nearer to L. rail, but can at once be distinguished by 

 its much larger feet. 



Length 5"1 ; wing 2*3 ; tail 2 ; bill, along culmen, '41 ; tarsi •68. 



Bill blackish brown on upper mandible; edge of upper and greater 

 part of lower pale flesh-colour ; gonys, near tip, brownish and darker 

 flesh-coloured ; rictus and inside of mouth pale yellow ; legs, toes, 

 and claws very pale yellowish flesh-colour. 



First quill minute ; second quill rather shorter than third, which 

 is longest. Tail soft and graduated. Our single specimen has only 

 a very few faint spots on the breast, with none on the flanks and 

 under tail-coverts. In point of colouring it is very similar to some 

 phases of the dress of the European Locustella, of which it is in fact 

 the Eastern representative. 



Locustella minuta, n. sp. 



This again is allied in colouring to the L. rail, but is a very dimi- 

 nutive species, strongly marked and spotted ; it may perhaps turn 

 out to be a resident species in South China. I have one, shot at 

 Amoy on 18th May, 1861 ; and Capt. Blakiston procured a pair in 

 Canton in October. The Canton birds are strongly washed with 

 yellow, and are therefore, I presume, birds of the year. 



Length 4'7; wing 2'15 ; tail \&, the feathers much graduated; 

 tarsi '65 ; bill, along culmen, '38, to gape '6. 



Bill blackish brown on the culmen and the small apical part of 



