378 
ISLAND LIFE. 
[part II. 
This list exhibits to us the marvellous fact that more than 
half the peculiar species of Formosan birds have their nearest 
allies in such remote regions as the Himalayas, South India, the 
Malay Islands, or Japan, rather than in the adjacent parts 
of the Asiatic continent. Fourteen species have Himalayan 
allies, and six of these belong to genera which are unknown in 
China. One has its nearest ally in the Nilgherries, and five in 
the Malay Islands ; and of these six, four belong to genera which 
are not Chinese. Two have their only near allies in Japan. 
Perhaps more curious still are those cases in which, though the 
genus is Chinese, the nearest allied species is to be sought for in 
some remote region. t Thus we have the Formosan babbler 
{Garrulax ruficeps) not allied to the species found in South 
China, but to one inhabiting North India and East Thibet; 
while the black bulbul ( Hypsipetes nigerrimus), is not allied to 
the Chinese species but to an Assamese form. 
In the same category as the above we must place eight 
species not peculiar to Formosa, but which are Indian or 
Malayan instead of Chinese, so that they offer examples of dis- 
continuous distribution somewhat analogous to what we found 
to occur in Japan. These are enumerated in the following 
list. 
Species of Birds common to Formosa and India or Malaya, but not 
found in China. 
1. Siphia superciliaris. The Rufous-breasted Flycatcher of the S.E. 
Himalayas. 
2. Halcyon coromanda. The Great Red Kingfisher of India, Malaya, and 
Japan. 
3. Palumbus pulchricollis. The Darjeeling Wood-pigeon of the S.E. 
Himalayas. 
4. Turnix dussumieri. The larger Button-quail of India. 
5. Spizaetus nipalensis. The Spotted Hawk-eagle of Nepal and Assam. 
6. Lophospiza trivirgata. The Crested Gos-liawk of the Malay Islands. 
7. Bulaca neivarensis. The Brown Wood-owl of the Himalayas. 
8. Stria t Candida. The Grass-owl of India and Malaya. 
The most interesting of the above are the pigeon and the 
flycatcher, both of which are, so for as yet known, strictly con- 
fined to the Himalayan mountains and Formosa. They thus 
afford example? of discontinuous specific distribution exactly 
