209 
Mr. R. Svvinhoe on Formosan Ornithology. 
characters. The relation of Formosa ornithologically with Japan 
is comparatively almost at zero. I only discovered one bird (the 
Pai'us castaneiventris) that looks-as if it had a common origin 
with the P. varius of Japan ; for the Treron formosce is perhaps 
as nearly allied to many others of that group as to the Vinago 
sieboldii . Many Japanese birds do occur in Formosa, but only 
as visitants, and in that capacity they also show themselves on 
the coasts of China. I fully expected, from the geological relation 
that Formosa is said to bear to the Philippines on the south and 
to Japan on. the north, that the fauna of that island would be 
more or less connected with those countries; but in this my 
investigations have decidedly proved me mistaken. The fauna 
is, instead, of an almost entirely Himalayo-Chinese type. 
I have been blamed by some naturalists for allowing Mr. Gould 
to reap the fruits of my labours, in having the privilege of de¬ 
scribing most of my novelties. I must briefly state, in explana¬ 
tion, that I returned to England elate with the fine new species I 
had discovered, and was particularly anxious that they should 
comprise one entire part of Mr. Gould's fine work on the Birds 
of Asia, still in progress. On an interview with Mr. Gould, I 
found that the only way to achieve this was to consent to his 
describing the entire series to be figured, as he would include 
none in the part but novelties which he should himself name 
and describe, I somewhat reluctantly complied; but as he has 
done me the honour to name the most important species after 
me, I suppose I have no right to complain. 
I have much pleasure in taking this opportunity to record my 
thanks to Messrs. G. R. Gray, Sclater, and Gould, as also to 
Mr. Leadbeater, for the kind assistance they have afforded me 
in lending me specimens and books required for the satisfactory 
completion of this paper. 
^ 1. Pandion haliaetus, L. Chinese, He-pew (Fish-panther). 
Ospreys are unusually common about the harbour of Tamsuy, 
and I have frequently seen no less than five at the same time 
scattered over the sand-spit that divides the mouth of the river. 
We disturbed one with a particularly large fish in his claws, with 
which he had great difficulty in soaring into the air. They were 
