Mr. R. Swiuhoe on Formosan Ornithology. 381 
prolonged and pointed. Bill deep bluish grey, approaching to 
black. Legs and toes light purplish lead-colour, with pale 
brownish soles; claws flesh-brown, with light edges. Iris choco¬ 
late-brown. Length 4 T ^ in.; wing 2 ^ ; tail lj^, of 12 feathers, 
the outer one shortest and not so pointed as the rest, the next 
four graduated slightly, the two central pointed, and by about 
in. the longest. 
The young have brown bills. Rictus white; inside of mouth 
yellowish flesh-colour. Their legs are flesh-coloured. Their tail- 
feathers are of the same length and form as those of adults. 
Their upper parts are of a uniform light yellowish brown. The 
under parts a much lighter tint of the same colour, the centre of 
the belly being white. Quills dark hair-brown. Skin round the 
eye greyish brown; iris blackish brown. In the early spring the 
horse-shoe feathers of the under parts begin to show themselves, 
but it is seldom until the second year that the moult is complete. 
Mr. Blyth considers this species distinct; and in my large 
series of skins I find constant uniformity in the peculiarities 
that distinguish it from its allies. In China it is abundant from 
Canton to Shanghai, and in Formosa all throughout the plains. 
It is more a bird of the open country than the last, roaming about 
in autumn and winter in large flocks, like Sparrows and Linnets. 
It also rarely goes into the retirement of woods and groves for 
nesting-purposes, preferring isolated trees, bushes, or palms, in 
the exposed open fields. In one of these its nest is stowed 
away—a large woven mass of coarse dried grass, generally lined 
inside with finer materials. It is of a globular form, with a hole 
on one side, resembling the nest of some murine animal. The 
eggs number 7, 5, or 3, but more frequently 3. They are white, 
oblong, larger than those of the last species, and not so narrow. 
It has usually three nests in the season. The notes of this bird 
are louder and somewhat different from those of the preceding 
species. It is also a heavier and more Sparrow-like bird. It is 
often kept in confinement. When singing, the male draws him¬ 
self up to his full height and stretches out his head, the beak is 
opened, and the throat shaken; but only a low murmuring 
sound is emitted, which is scarcely audible to a person standing 
close to the bird : it is the most absurd attempt at singing 
