262 Mr. R. Swinhoe on Formosan Ornithology . 
exposed, placed behind the plane of the eye. Skin of cheek and 
ear blackish grey. Almost immediately after death, the bine of 
the bill fades away and changes to leaden, and thence to black. 
The same thing takes place, but not so speedily, in the colour of 
the legs. The bills of young birds, until the spring moult, are 
blackish brown. I have observed this same evanescent nature 
in the blue bills and feet of several other birds, as also in the 
blue tints of many flowers, especially. those that spring from 
damp ground and contain a large amount of moisture. 
I dissected a female, shot 30th August, 1861. (Esophagus 
contracts to about jg- in., then expands gradually into the proven- 
triculus. Gizzard nearly round, compressed laterally, diameter 
~ in., depth ; epithelium furrowed with a network of rugse, of 
a deep flesh-brown tint, containing Dipterous insects. Intestine 
5/^ in., unusually white, — at thickest part. Cseca small and 
adnate, in. from anus, the right one placed higher than left; 
both less than in diameter. 
About Taiwanfoo and Apes' Hill this species is specially 
abundant, frequenting the numerous plantations of tall graceful 
bamboos. Among the thickest and shadiest boughs of these 
trees it loves to sit, uttering its harsh grating note, and quar¬ 
relling with every other bird that comes within its reach. Its 
flights after insects are short, and usually merely a skip from 
one bough to another. It nidificates much in the manner of the 
common Flycatcher (Muscicapa grisola) at home, building a 
deep purse-like nest of spider's web and catkins in the forks of 
tree-branches, usually preferring a branch that leans against a 
tree or wall. The eggs, numbering from 4 to 5, and rarely to 7, 
are, when fresh, pinky white, spotted, especially at the larger 
end, with deep madder-pink spots and light pinkish grey. They 
vary somewhat in size, the largest egg measuring *6 by *48. 
23. Hemichelidon latirostris (Raffles). 
Muscicapa cinereo-alba } Schleg. Faun. Japon. 
Visits Formosa in summer, but not in any numbers. 
24. Hemichelidon griseisticta, Swinhoe, 'Ibis/ 1861, 
p. 330. 
This species, which I first discovered in Amoy, also ranges to 
Formosa as a summer visitant. 
