Swinhoe, Robert. “Letter from Mr. Swinhoe,” Ibis 4 (1862): 363-365.
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[16 August 2021 updated]
(A List of Taiwan-related Works by Robert Swinhoe is available here.)
XLII.—Letter from Mr.
SWINHOE.
(Plate XIII.)
To the Editor of ‘The Ibis.’
SIR,—I have just
returned to England from Formosa, for change of air; and as, while there, I
prosecuted my researches in natural history with some vigour, I have been
enabled to bring with me some fine novelties from that hitherto unexplored
island. Among other things in the ornithological line, I may mention a most
lovely new species of Pheasant of the Euplocomus group, of which I was
fortunate enough to procure both sexes,—a fine new Urocissa, a new Megalæma, two Pomatorhini,
three Garrulaxes, an Arboricola, cum multis aliis. All these
I intend bringing before the Zoological Society at their first meeting in
November. But with regard to one of the novelties, perhaps the most beautiful thing
I have brought, I should like to anticipate the introduction to the
ornithological world by availing myself of the pages of ‘The Ibis’ to bring it
forward. I refer to the accompanying Orioline form, belonging to the genus Psaropholus,
to which P. traillii from Nepal and perhaps one other species
belong. Both of these, however, are cast far into the shade by their Formosan representative.
I subjoin a diagnosis of its characters, with the few notes I can at present
supply. I shall be able to add further particulars when the mass of my
collection reaches England.
PSAROPHOLUS ARDENS,
Swinhoe. (Pl. XIII.)
P. coccineus;
capite et cervice undique cum alis tibiisque nigerrimis; rostro pedibusque
plumbeis.
[p. 364]
Bill light cobalt; skin round the eye violet-grey; iris crimson-brown; legs leaden grey; soles and claws dingy. Head, neck, wings, and tibial feathers black; the rest of the plumage of a fine cochineal red, paler on the tail. Length 9 3/4 in.; wing 6 1/4; tail 4 1/4, somewhat rounded, of 12 feathers. Bill, along culmen, 1 in.; along edge of lower mandible, l 1/4. Tarsi ·9 in.
The plumage of the
first year is pale and dingy, the under parts being more or less white, with a
few black streaks.
This bird is an
inhabitant of the mountain-ranges of Formosa, frequenting the jungly bush of
the exalted valleys, and displaying its gaudy tints among the gigantic leafy
boughs of the far-famed Laurus camphora, which towers at intervals among
its entangled fellows of the wood. In habits the Red Oriole nearly approaches
its allies of the yellow group, and feeds, like them, on berries, chiefly those
of figs. In summer it resorts to the highest ranges, some of which are
perennially covered with snow (hence of its nesting I know nothing); in winter
it returns to the more accessible mountains bounding the Chinese territory. Its
notes are loud and harsh, as are those of the Yellow Oriole (Oriolus
chinensis), which, however, has somewhat of a loud and not
disagreeable song. In Formosa, as in China, the Yellow Oriole is a summer
visitant, arriving in thousands, and literally swarming in the bamboo-groves
of the south. During this season it spreads itself throughout all the seaboard
and champaign country of Formosa. In China I have myself traced it as far north
as Pekin; and it ranges into Amoorland, according to von Schrenk. I have no
doubt that in its southern and brumal migration it passes through Siam (whence
I have received specimens from Sir R. Schomburgk), and disperses its bands throughout
the western side of the Bay of Bengal, where Blyth’s Black-naped Oriole (O.
indicus) hails from. This species Blyth himself now considers identical
with the Chinese bird.
You must excuse me
for digressing in this way from the subject of this letter; for, after all, my
ideas regarding the two birds might be expressed in a very few words, viz. that
whereas Oriolus chinensis alias indicus is a bird of the plains
and migratory, Psaropholus ardens is a mountainous species peculiar to
Formosa, resident on the island, and merely changing its home from a
[p. 365]
lower to a higher elevation, or vice versâ, according
to the season; that both birds are Orioles, of somewhat similar habits, the one
form having pink bills (Oriolus proper), the other having blue bills (Psaropholus),
but both leaden-grey legs.
I remain, yours, &c.,
ROBERT SWINHOE.
London, September lst,
1862.
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