138 Mr. R. Swinhoe— A Voice on Ornithology from Formosa. 
considered an outstanding genus among the Scolopaces, much as 
the latter is among the Ardece. 
September 28th, I met with small parties of Hetatroruis 
sinensis. They wend their way southwards from Amoy at this 
season; but what they do in Formosa during their migrations I 
cannot make out. They were here, as I before remarked, in 
spring. I have not found them resident during summer in 
Formosa; and they are not quoted from Japan, or known in 
North China. They occur here scantily when they are met 
with, and I fancy they are blown off their course to our shores. 
Motacilla boarula and Budytes taivana * have returned from 
the hills. The latter is now abundant enough in the flats 
and fields. Swallows and Sand-Martins are wandering about 
without a settled habitation. Walking along the avenue this 
morning my attention was attracted by a Halcyon^s scream, and 
two birds, one chasing the other, dashed through the thicket. 
The first bird I was not quick enough to catch sight of. The 
pursuing bird was an Oriole ( Oriolus chinensis ). The Oriole dis¬ 
continued the chase, and, perching on a tree not far from me, 
began to whistle its absurd attempt at a song, as if glorying in 
the defeat of its enemy. It was a mature bird, and looked very 
showy in the sunlight. The colour of the iris was not red, but 
just as I have described before. On returning I came close on 
the Halcyon : it was H. coromanda , a rare bird in the low country. 
I was so fas cinated in watching the lovely pink-plumaged fellow, 
that I let slip the opportunity of securing him. He was very 
impatient of being watched, and flew as I followed from one tree 
to another. Once he dashed against some leaves, and flew back 
to his perch, as Flycatchers are wont to do. He appeared to 
have caught something; but what it was I could not see. 
Takow, S.W. Formosa, 
1 October, 1865. 
* [This word is not quite plain in the manuscript. If it has been 
rightly read, we may mention that we are not aware that the Yellow 
Wagtail of Formosa, probably indicated by it, has been yet described as a 
distinct species ( Cf. Ibis, 1863, pp. 309, 310). —Ed.] 
