PARADOXORNIS HEUDEIL, «4 Davia.
Pere Heude’s Paradoxornis.

Paradoxornis Heudeit, David, Comptes Rendus, lxxiv

p. 1449.—Id. Rey.
Mus. ix. Bull. pl. 4. fig. 2. ev. Zool. 1872, p. 359; J. Verr. N. Arch.

eam 7 period oF my ornithological career I have always been led to expect to see a true

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Calamophilus from Eastern Asia; but up to the present time this has never turned up. On the other hand
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anew and highly interesting sedge-loving bird has lately been described by Pére David, and skins forwarded.

to this country for Mr. Swinhoe’s collection. I herewith offer my best thanks to the last-named gentleman
for the loan of these specimens, and am sure that the birds now figured will be full of interest to the ornitho-
logical public. In colour, general markings, and softness of plumage the present bird is almost similar to
our own Reedling ; and it is principally in its larger size and Paradovornis-like bill that the greatest differ-
ences are observable.

The following is an extract from the original account of the species by Pére David :—‘‘ Pére Heude, a
missionary at Shanghai, actively busies himself with studying and collecting the natural productions of the
province in which he resides. Among the birds shown to me by him during a recent visit to that town, are
several not yet included in the ornithological catalogues of Chinese birds. I now refer specially ‘to a very
interesting form belonging to that curious group of insectivorous birds which is represented in Kastern Asia
by the genera Conostoma, Cholornis, Paradoxornis, and Suthora. The bird I allude to appears to me to be
‘ntermediate between these last two genera, and might perhaps constitute the type of a new one. I range it
provisionally with the genus Paradovornis, of which it exhibits the most important characters. Pere Heude
having permitted me to take a description of the bird, which is unique in bis collection, I hasten to transmit
it, feeling that it is at the same time my duty to dedicate this new species to him by the name of Paradox-
ornis Heudet.” .

My kind friend Consul Swinhoe has also comunicated the following extract from a letter received from
Pére Heude, and dated “ Sikaiwei, Sept. 29th, 1873.” He writes :—‘ The Kiang-Sou Paradoxornis frequents
When they are cut down it takes refuge in those which are kept in a reserve-store 1n the

the large reeds.
It extends, to my knowledge, the length of the

enclosures of gardens &c.; I have not seen it on bushes.
Nanking and Kew-Kiang, on the edge of the great lake Hang-tse. It
flies in company, like its near ally Suthora, making a great noise when climbing up the dry ee
it attacks vigorously from the bottom, examining each stalk to its top, and then passing ae anotl er. :
song is a warbling ‘ ro-ri-ri,, sonorous and melancholy. ene one ae ee oe ee
distinguished from afar, the birds calling to one another without ceasing. ley y y apy

and are not wild. Length of male 0:19 mill., of female 0°16 mill. Iris rosy red. These dimensions
: : | = £ 39
and there are slight differences between these limits.

ae : oe eee
The accompanying descriptions are from Mr. Swinhoe's specimen a a
Adult male-—Head and hind neck grey, gradually assuming a lilac shade on the interscapulary region as

it passes off into the chestnut back, the upper part of which is slightly streaked with dark brown; on each
og e of black extending down the sides of the neck; lores and sides of face light

k whitish, tinged with lilac ; up

Yang-tsze river from Kin-Kiang to

are extreme ;

side of the crown a narrow lin

greyish white; throat white ; ee ae ljohter down the middle of the abdomen and under tail-coverts ; under
“fac , awn-colour, lighter do
the under surface fulvous fawn-colour,

also the edge of the wing ; upper wing-coverts deep chestnut-maroon ; ie sepia-
th rufous, extending round the tips and some way Up the a - ed
1 whitish buff, the ‘anermost broadly black in the centre, the : Oo a
ming a distinct longitudinal streak down the sides of the back ;
tail black, with conspicuous white tips to the feathers,
e feathers fulvous fawn-colour, deeper on the margins.

nd with a much smaller bill; all the colours less
nearly uniform with the back, having only a very

per breast chestnut-maroon, the rest of

wing-coverts whitish, as
brown, externally washed wi
web, the secondaries margined witl
‘nner web white for its whole length, for
d, the upper tail-coverts paler ;

fawn-colour, the two centr
oured than the male, a
ack absent, and the head

rump straw-coloure
more or less shaded with
Adult female.—More dull-col
intensified, the maroon of the b
slight tinge of grey.
Both sexes are represe

nted in the Plate, and are life-size.