134 
Mr. R. Swinhoe— A Voice on 
only—of the Redlegs ( Oreoperdix crudigularis) . These had more 
black feathers on their throats than ordinary; and 1 suspect 
from this that the bareness of the red throat-skin marks the 
nuptial livery of the bird. 
On the 30th of July I was wandering about the alluvial flats 
between the sea and the city of Taiwan-foo. They were partly 
under water from the late heavy rains, and were frequented by 
several mud-birds. I observed Charadrius longipes , many of 
Hiaticula geoffroyi, Numenius uropygialis, and Hydrochelidon 
leucopareia. These I believe to be all residents in the island, as 
I have before observed. 
To preserve dried skins in a country like this, one is obliged 
to be ever on the watch against vermin. To say nothing of 
several species of ants and the little pest moths Tinea, also of 
many species, a large beetle, which (as Mr. Wallace writes to 
me) glories in the name of Dermestes vulpinus, and a small 
yellowish-brown beetle of, I think, the same genus, destroy not 
only the feathers but the skin also. Ye naturalists of England, 
that sit at home at ease, pity- the difficulties with which a 
brother-in-arms has to contend in the tropics. 
August 11th was a fine day, but very hot. I took a ten- 
mile ride into the country to the banks of a river near the foot 
of the first range of low hills. In the steep clay banks occurred 
round holes bored by the Sand-Martin ( Cotyle sinensis ), but the 
little fellows had finished with them for the year. In a small 
mango-grove heard the well-known “pic” of a Woodpecker, 
and soon saw with much pleasure a pair of the small Picus 
kaleensis amusing themselves on the boughs of a mango-tree. 
On the opposite bank, in a wood, put up a Bamboo-Partridge 
(Bambusicola sonorivox ) and a large flight of Night-Herons. 
The latter appear to have closed incubating-transactions for the 
season. On returning, in a paddy-field, I put up a white- 
rumped Green Sandpiper, which I took to be Totanus affinis ; 
but more of this species anon. 
On August 16th this place was visited by a severe typhoon or 
cyclone, which lasted for three days. A small party of Terns 
(.Sterna velox) were driven into the harbour. On the 17th I 
saw the first Gallinago solitaria of the season. 
