R. F. Tong—Some Notes on Bird Collecting in Southern China 247



SOME NOTES ON BIRD COLLECTING IN

SOUTHERN CHINA


By R. F. Tong


The greatest thrill to any collector of living and inanimate objects

is to secure a rare specimen that heretofore has never been obtained by

anyone else. I have not yet experienced such a thrill in collecting live

birds in China during my eighteen months’ residence here, in spite of

which, nevertheless, I hope to experience that some day.


However, I have had my share of happiness in obtaining birds which

were a near approach to the “ never been secured alive ” species,

many of which, I believe, have rarely been seen in London. To quote

a few samples, how many readers of the Avicultural Magazine

have seen an Ince’s Paradise Flycatcher, a pure albino Dayal Thrush,

or the Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker (.Dicaeum i. ignipectus) ? These,

as well as many others, some of which I am still attempting to identify,

I have in my aviaries here in Macao, South China. Many I have sent

to private aviaries in Honolulu and America.


Recently I obtained a bird which appeared to be a relative of the

Pekin Robin, but about one-third larger, with the following description:

length, 7J inches ; chest and abdomen, yellow ; forehead, bright

reddish orange ; back from forehead to rump, greyish ; rump, yellow ;

outer tail feathers, bright orange ; inner tail feathers, black ; wings,

dark with centre parts of wings bright reddish orange ; feet and beak,

dark greyish. After keeping it in the aviary for a week it died through

negligence on my part in not supplying it with sufficient live grass¬

hoppers, its favourite food. The dead bird was sent to experienced

naturalists at the Hong Kong University for identification, but so far,

after a diligent search among all the books on China birds, it appears

that no such species has yet been recorded in any of the books. The

authorities are still checking on the bird.


My method of collecting birds in China has been rather simple.

I do not attempt personally, or with an expedition, to secure the birds

from their natural environments, but simply visit the various “ bazaars ”

on market days in the various villages scattered throughout Southern



