TROCHALOPTERON FORMOSUM,,/.^. 



Beautiful Trochalopteron. 



Trochalopteronformo$um,J. Verr. Nouv. Archiv. du Mus., torn. v. p. 35. — Swinh. in Proc. Zool. Soc, 1871, p. 372. 



This is another of the numerous ornithological discoveries made by the Pere Armand David in the neighbour- 

 hood of Moupin, in the interior of China, towards Thibet. It is a larger bird than theTrochalopteron squamatum^ 

 is a trifle different in colour, and has somewhat longer wings ; still, I think, M. Jules Verreaux has rightly 

 placed it in the same genus. Mr. D. G. Elliot, who possesses one of the specimens procured by the Abbe 

 David, favoured me with the loan of it for the enrichment of the present work, and I thank him for his 

 kindness in so doing. 



What is now required respecting this species is full information respecting its history, habits, and mode 

 of life, the kind of country frequented by it, and the difference, if any, in the plumage of the sexes, in which 

 latter respect, if we may judge from what we know of the other members of the genus, there will be none. 



As M. Jules Verreaux has had opportunities of examining several specimens of this bird, I append his 

 description of the colouring instead of giving one myself: — " General tint olivaceous rust-colour ; head grey, 

 lanceolatecl with black ; throat and front of the neck of this last colour ; a great portion of the wings and 

 of the upper surface of the tail blood-red; abdomen and vent olivaceous." 



Mr. Swinhoe remarks that two other species, also from Moupin, remain to be described. 



The Plate represents the Trochalopteron formomm^ of the size of life. 







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