1863.] MR. R. SWINHOE ON THE BIRDS OF CHINA. 263 



32. Syrnium siNENSE, Lath. ; Bp. Consp. Av. p. 52. 



Said to have been received from Canton. I have never come across 

 the bird. 



Caprimulgid^. 



33. Caprimulgus jotaka, Schleg. 



C. dytiscivorus, Swinhoe, Ibis, 1860, p. I3(X. 

 C. swinhoii, Blytli. 



Tarsi feathered ; allied to C. europceus, L. 



Summers in North China and Japan ; common in South China, 

 chiefly in spring and autumn ; when in its migration it spends two 

 months in Amoy and Hongkong. Old birds very black, with much 

 less buff markings. White spots on the primary quills of male very 

 variable in size. White band on tail also variable in breadth, and 

 at different distances from tip in different specimens. In the freshly 

 moulted males both are strongly tinged with buff. 



The female has no band across the tail, and the spots on the under- 

 neck and wings are rust-coloured instead of white. Her whole 

 plumage is much more rufescent. 



Both sexes in the very young plumage have no spots on the wings 

 or tail, the throat of the male alone showing whitish patches. 



34. Caprimulgus stictomus, Swinhoe, Ibis, 1863, p. 250. 



Tarsi bare ; allied to C montieola of India and C. affinis of Java. 

 Outer tail-feathers in male white. Spends the summer in the south 

 of China; found near Amoy in September and October. Amoy 

 specimens very rufescent and clearly marked. Formosan variety 

 smaller and very pale. 



Cypselid^e. 



35. ACANTHYLIS CAUDACUTA, Lath. 



Hirundo fusca, Shaw. 



Chcetura australis, Steph. 



C. macroptera, Sw. 



C. nudipes, Hodgs. 



Cypselus leuconotus, Deless. 



Hirundo ciris. Pall. Zoogr. Ross. Asiat. p. 541. 



Most naturalists are, I believe, now agreed that the Himalayan 

 and Australian birds are one and the same species, and identical with 

 the individual that was shot in England. In the south of China I 

 never saw but one pair ; the male I secured. This specimen agrees 

 entirely with Australian skins. Von Schrenck observed this Swift in 

 Amoorland; and it is doubtless the bird described by Pallas as 

 Hirundo ciris. 



36. Cypselus vittatus, Jard. & Selb. 111. Orn. n, s. t. 39. 



Closely allied to C. pacificus. Lath. (C australis, Gould). Sexes 

 of similar plumage ; wings and tail of variable length in both, in the 

 former seldom more than ^ inch difference between two specimens. 



