254 
Mr. R. Swinhoe on the Birds 
3. Bubo maximus. 
I twice saw this fine Owl. Once we were on an expedition, 
when the whole party stopped to see one of this giant species sitting 
on a rock some way up a hill, and trying to ward off the attacks 
of a pair of Red-legged Falcons, who were hovering over and 
darting at him on each side. At last he flew to the other side 
of the hill to try and take refuge from his small assailants; but 
they followed after and continued their persecution until he hid 
himself under a rock. At another time, when I was clambering 
over the hills that skirt the harbour between “ Pearl Bay ” and 
“ Odin Bay,” I suddenly turned a corner and came close in view of 
a very fine specimen, which at once rose respectfully and flapped 
over the valley out of view. These birds, I presume, banquet 
off the Hares (Lepus sinensis) that scantily people the surround¬ 
ing country. 
4. Cypselus vittatus, Jardine. 
This Swift has a long sweep of coast for his peregrinations. 
At Amoy we have his company in the spring, while the weather 
remains rainy and unsettled; we found him in the commence¬ 
ment of June breeding on the Lam-yit islands; and later, 
towards the close of that month, we find him again, a thousand 
miles north, sporting about in the clear atmosphere of Salienwan. 
As the season advances and the incubatory duties are finally 
concluded, he betakes himself south again for the winter. 
5. Hirundo rustica, Linn. 
I think we must drop the gutturalis of Scopoli and call this 
bird by its old familiar name; for it can certainly be no other 
than our Euglish acquaintance, though somewhat smaller in 
size. It differs nothing in point of colouring, and in habits no 
more than the change of situation would lead one to expect. 
This species was plentiful enough among the villages. 
6. Upupa epops, Linn. 
In a willow grove a party of these birds, probably consisting 
of a family group, had taken up their quarters, and from this 
spot they used to make their little excursions into the neigh¬ 
bouring open land, skimming along with long undulating flight. 
Sometimes they would toy and gambol with one another in the 
