MYIOPHONEUS INSULARIS, Gould. 



Formosan Whistlings-Thrush. 



Myiophoneus insularis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc. 1862, p. 280. 

 Myiophonus insularis, Swinh. in Ibis, 1863, p. 277. 



From the information which has been recorded by Mr. Jerdon and others respecting the species of the 

 genus Myiophoneus, we learn that they have many characters in common with the larger Petrocinclce ; the 

 members of both genera give preference to rocky and sterile, rather than to the wooded, portions of the 

 country, stony torrents, waterfalls, and hill-sides being preeminently the situations resorted to by the 

 Indian members of the present form. Their song is a loud, clear whistle, not unlike, says Mr. Jerdon, that 

 of a man or boy. The sexes are alike in colour, and they do not materially differ in size. 



At least four or five species of this well-defined genus are at present known, two of which inhabit the 

 hills of India, one China and the island of Java, and the fifth the island of Formosa. This last- 

 mentioned species, which is figured on the accompanying Plate, differs from its Chinese representative in 

 its larger size, in the finer blue of its breast, and in the total absence of the spangled spots of shining blue 

 which ornament the back of that species. 



"The Formosan Cavern-bird," says Mr. Swinhoe, "haunts the dark wooded ravines of the mountains of 

 the interior, and seldom descends below the level of 2000 feet. Like the Chinese species, its favourite 

 position is a boulder of rock on the side of a torrent, whereon it stands expanding and shutting up its tail 

 like a fan, and occasionally throwing it slightly upwards. It is easily startled, when it runs rather than 

 hops over the surface of the rock, and flies off with a loud screaming note. Its song is short, bat somewhat 

 pleasant. In its manners and habits it seems to connect the Thrushes and Petrocinclce with the Pittce, 

 which also love the neighbourhood of mountain streams. The shape of its ear is most peculiar, and very 

 similar to that of the Henicuri, which are also cascade-loving birds. The specimens dissected usually 

 contained the remains of Coleoptera and their larvae." 



Lores jet-black ; forehead crossed by a narrow band of shining deep blue ; crown of the head, throat, 

 back of the neck, all the upper surface, and the tail obscure blackish blue ; shoulders very bright metallic 

 blue ; primaries and greater wing-coverts margined externally with bright blue ; feathers of the chest and 

 upper part of the abdomen black, with shining blue tips; lower part of the abdomen, thighs, under tail- 

 coverts, and the under side of the tail-feathers dull black ; bill and legs black ; irides deep brown. 



The Plate represents the bird of the size of life. 



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