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Show 440 MR. R. SWINHOE ON CHINESE ZOOLOGY. [June 9, panded; tip of wing to end of tail 3 1. Bill and skin round eye pink or coral-red; iris red sienna ; legs lighter pink red, with pale soles and brown claws. This bird was shot on the 5th September. A party of them were feeding in a millet-field at tbe foot of the hills. They, on alarm, at once took to the hills, dispersing among the rocks, and calling to one another. Their note is a chuckle, " kok-kok-kok," the syllable constantly repeated. When pursued they at once run up the hills; and if the hunter wants sport, he must get above his birds, when they can be made to take wing. It is a great scramble to catch a wounded bird. The Pekinese call them shih-ke-tsze, or " Rock-fowl." Picus poliopsis, Swinh., § . Iris bright chestnut-red. Bill blackish brown, asparagus-green at base, with which colour the whole of the bill is washed. Legs greenish brown, ashy yellow on soles ; claws brown, with pale bases. This species appears to be rare about Peking. I only saw one other specimen of it during my stay. It is a second species of the subgenus Hyopicus, of which P. hyperythrus is the type. It differs from its Indian ally in having its underparts yellowish brown instead of chestnut, the cheeks and sides of neck being snuff-coloured. The crimson of its rump mounts to the belly. It is rather larger in size, and is more banded with white on the back and scapulars. The white spots on the head of the female are much larger. I considered it a variety before; I think now, on seeing a third example, that it is well entitled to specific rank. Hemichelidon sibirica (Gmel.), bird of the year. Breast aud flanks confusedly streaked and spotted with deep greyish-brown. Upperparts spotted with pale ochreous, lesser wing-coverts tipped with the same. Two adult specimens from Siberia of this species, kindly sent me by Dr. v. Schrenck of St. Petersburg, are paler than Chinese examples, but otherwise similar. I will take the opportunity of here introducing two species from North China in m y collection, which appear to be new. ARUNDINAX FLEMINGI, sp. n. The small species of reed-bird that Mr. Fleming, R.A., brought from Tientsin in 1861 seemed to answer to the description of Salicaria cantillans of the ' Fauna Japonica ;' and I included it in my China list under that name. I have now the Japanese species before me, and find the two birds quite distinct. The wing of our bird shows a different proportion of quills; the tarsi and hind toe are much shorter, and the hind claw and toes much weaker. It is smaller iu every way, and differs in its coloration. Upper parts light brownish olive, eyebrow and cheeks pale ochreous, lore creamy white, with an obscure brown streak between it and the eyebrow ; throat and middle of belly white. Underparts primrose- yellow, tinged with buff, strongly on the vent. Quills and tail light hair-brown, margined with light brownish olive. Bill brown on the upper mandible, except its tomia, which, with the lower mandible, are ochreous yellow. Irides blackish brown. Legs and toes ochreous flesh-colour. |