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Show 688 MR. R. SWINHOE ON CHINESE BIRDS. [NOV. 4, UROCISSA BREVIVEXILLA, sp. nov. Pallida, vexillis caudae brevibus, parvis punctis albis terminatis : long tot. 18*5 poll. Angl., alae 7*25, caudee 12. The tail is nearly equally graduated throughout; or, to speak more in detail, the first or outer rectrix is 4 inches long, the second 1*2 longer, the third 1*1 longer again, the fourth 1*2 more, the fifth 2 longer, and the centrals only 2 inches longer again, instead of being considerably longer as in, I think, all the other species. All the rectrices are narrower than in U. sinensis, especially near their tips, which end almost in points. The two centrals are very narrow, and have their white tips only *7 inch long. The under tail-coverts fall 1*2 short of tip of first rectrix, instead of reaching to near its end. The general plumage is paler, the wing-coverts coloured as the back, and the black of the throat and breast mixed with violet-grey. Bid and legs red, and about the same size as in the other. This species is only known from the western hills of Pekin. While on the subject of North-China birds, it is as well to remark that several of the novelties introduced to science by M . J. Verreaux as " recueillis par M . l'Abbe Armand David dans les montagnes du Thibet Chinois," were actually procured near Pekin, or in the Ordo Mountains, and were not even seen by our traveller in Chinese Thibet, or he would have noted it. M. David is very careful always in stating his localities ; and it is a shame that the authorities at the Museum du Jardin des Plantes should admit such confusion into their scientific papers. In the recent list of 33 novelties (Nouv. Arch. torn. vii. 1871, Bull. p. 25) no less than 5 have been received only from North China. They are the following :- (6) Turdus auritus, which appeared to me too like T. musicus to separate. (18) Arundinax davidiana, A large size of m y A. flemingi. This may be a good species, differing perhaps as A. cantans does from A. cantillans ('Fauna Japonica'), or m y A. canturiens from my A. minuta. (26) Parus pekinensis. This is described under A. David's name without any reference to the former description in the ' Ibis ' (1870, p. 155). (27) Mecistura vinacea is the Orites ouratensis, A. David, MS., of my Catalogue, No. 186 ; but as Pere David did not describe it, the now published name will have the precedence. (32) Pyryilauda davidiana, a new genus and species, is the "Passer ouratensis, A. David, in Mus. Pekin." of m y catalogue, No. 383. For the same reason as in the last, Pere David's name will have to give way. These five species were represented by specimens in the Museum at Pekin ; the deduction of these 5 leaves the number of Moupin novelties 28. This number we have to reduce again by deducting four more, which M. Verreaux had already described (Nouv. Arch. 1869, Bull.), viz. Trochalopterum formosum, Yuhina liademata, Suthora gularis, and Mecistura fuliginosa (the last two |