8742 



Birds. 



animals with their ideas of sorcery and the healing art; hence large 

 prices are often given for the bodies of owls for the cure of various 

 diseases. One common medicinal property attributed to owls is that 

 of curing pulmonary affections ; and for this reason consump- 

 tive patients and old people troubled with rheum are often recom- 

 mended by their medical advisers to indulge in owl-soup ; but in 

 most cases the young of Bubo maximus (a common bird in some parts 

 of China) are preferred for this purpose. 



12. Bubo caligatus, Swinhoe ; native name, Ham-hay (" en- 

 during vacancy "). This species is found in the dark caverns that 

 abound in the mountains of the interior, wherein it lies securely at 

 rest during day, issuing out at night in pursuit of partridges, hares 

 and young deer. Such is the account given of it by the natives. I 

 only once met with it, and that was in the dusk of evening, when we 

 were marching rather rapidly over a mountain defile, some three 

 thousand feet above the sea-level. I was first attracted by hearing a 

 loud deep hoot proceeding out of a hollow between two large rocks on 

 a prominence over our heads. On looking in the direction whence 

 the noise came, I observed a large owl fly out. It was getting late, 

 and we could not tarry ; so that I was not able to procure the speci- 

 men. I had not at that time handled an example, and therefore set it 

 down as the Bubo maximus, noting, however, that the bird seen was 

 much smaller and had a different hoot. This took place in June, 

 1857, when I was assisting the officers of H.M.S. c Inflexible' in their 

 search for certain Europeans supposed to be held captives at the 

 sulphur-mines near Kelung. It was not till May, 1862, that I first 

 procured a specimen. This bird is not more uncommon than the 



B majority of large Raptores, but, owing to its shyness and the inacces- 

 sibility of its retreats, is particularly difficult to procure. 



13. Caprimulgus stictomus, Swinhoe. This species has the naked 

 tarse of C. monticola of Franklin (C. gymnopus of Hodgson), and has, 

 like it, also, in the male, the external lateral tail-feather white. I first 

 made its acquaintance in a copse on the Changchow River, near 

 Amoy, where I have found it several consecutive years at the end of 

 September and beginning of October. It is at that season always 

 moulting, and its prescribed time of stay is as nearly a month as pos- 

 sible. The small party that annually visit this wood appear to come 

 from the interior to recruit their strength and recover their feathers, 

 and then to pass southwards. In Hongkong and Macao I found the 

 same species as a summer resident only. In Formosa it occurred as 

 an abundant summer resident on the plains about Taiwanfoo ; but 



