42 
Mr. J. D. D. La Touche on the 
Kuatun, where, owing to the steepness of the mountains, it 
is not easily obtained. 
Our collectors brought back several specimens in 1896 and 
1897, but in 1898 we obtained only two—a female, shot and 
skinned by one of the hunters, and a fine male, shot in the 
woods above the village. The soft parts of the latter were 
as follows :—Iris crimson ; bill dull greenish lead, darker on 
upper mandible; base of lower mandible bluish lead; legs 
dull reddish lead. The total length is 10’8 inches. 
-f- 134. Iyngipicus scintilliceps Swinhoe. 
I have the skin of a male labelled ee Kuatun, October, 
1896.” 
— 135. Gecinus guerini (Malh.). 
This is the common Woodpecker about Kuatun. Our 
collectors took there three clutches of six, six, and five eggs 
on the 6th, 10th, and 24th May, 1897, and on the 12th 
May, 1898, we took five fresh eggs from a hole in a chestnut- 
tree near the village. The hole was placed some 25 feet 
above the ground. The parent bird was sitting, and several 
hard knocks were struck against the tree before she flew 
out. 
The eggs of the clutch taken on the 10th May, 1897, are 
ovate, inclining to oval. They measure 1*15 X 0*88, l'14x 
0*90 (three eggs), !Tlx0*90, and 1*10 x 0 89 inch. The 
eggs taken on the 12th May, 1898, are of a broad peg-top 
or broad pyriform ovate shape. They measure 1*10 X 0*94, 
1-10x0-93, 1-09x0-93, 1*08x0-90, and 1 06x0-94 inch. 
The surface of these eggs is intensely glossy and the texture 
is finely grained. The eggs of the four clutches that 1 have 
seen were all much soiled, and mine were cleaned with some 
difficulty. 
-j-136. Lepocestes sinensis Rickett. 
This is not an uncommon Woodpecker about Kuatun, but 
it is, as a rule, so shy that its capture is a matter of some 
difficulty. The cry of this bird is extremely loud and 
piercing, being louder at first and becoming fainter as it goes 
