398 Mr. R. Swinhoe on Formosan Ornithology. 
(P. Z. S. 1863, p. 292); but unfortunately in this specimen the 
longest and most important feathers of the tail are missing. 
That procured by Captain Blakiston at Canton, from which the 
species was originally noted, had no tail at all! I can now say 
that the bird has a graduated tail. The most remarkable bird 
of the lot was a species which, in coloration and some other pe¬ 
culiarities, recalls the Djymoecce, but has a short tail. It seems 
to me most nearly related to the genus Horeites; and to that I 
will for the present refer it:— 
Horeites robustipes, sp. nov. 
/ Length 4 inches. Wing 1*9 inch; first quill short, fifth 
and sixth equal and longest. Tail 1*4 inch, of ten feathers, gra¬ 
duated and short. Tarsus, hind toe, and claws large, long, and 
strong, yellowish, washed with brown. Upper and apical third 
of lower mandible blackish-brown, yellowish on the edge. I 
have only two specimens. The bill of one is longer and more 
curved than that of the other. Upper parts of plumage olive- 
brown, tinged with reddish on the back and wings. Quills and 
wings generally hair-brown, except on their margins. Tail light 
hair-brown, edged with reddish-olive. Rump at base of tail 
yellowish-olive. Streak over the eye and underparts, including 
axillaries and edge of carpus, cream-colour, ochreous on the belly, 
and olivaceous-buff on breast, flanks, vent, and tibiae. 
In my trip to the mountains, having put up at a village, at 
an early hour I strolled up the hill to a clump of fine trees. On 
the bare branches of a large Bombaoc malabaricum I noticed a 
Psaropholus ardens; its bright crimson plumage made a lovely 
contrast with the dull red flowers of the tree, and the light 
green bursting leaves. I rushed back to our hut for a gun and 
shot him. He showed still the whitish underparts and streaks 
of immaturity. But the great question was solved. I had 
accepted hearsay evidence that its iris was red. I now found 
(/ for myself that it was white , like that of its congener P. trailli. 
The white was encircled near the eyelids with a black rim. The 
eyelids were lead-colour. Bill bright French-blue. Tongue 
yellowish, with a broad black bifid tip. Stomach full of small 
figs, either of the banyan or some allied species. When picked 
up, the wounded bird screeched just as yellow Orioles do. 
