LIBRARY
UWVESilTY OF CALIFORNIA
DAVIS
flDemoirs of the flBuseum of Comparative Zoology?
\ i II \ i; V \ i; ii COLLEG K.
VOL. XL. No. i.
SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
INTRODUCTION . BY SAMUEL HENSHAW.
PISCES Bv SAMUEL GARM.AN.
AMPHIBIA AND REPT1LIA BY THOMAS HARBOUR.
AM . . . BY JOHN E. THAYER AND OUTRAM BANGS.
MAMMALIA BY GLOVER M. ALLEN.
WITH SIX PLATi.s.
CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.:
priuteo for tbe Aueeum.
AUGUST, 1912.
ADemolrs of tbe flDuseum of Comparative Zoology
AT HARVARD COLLEGE.
VOL. XL. No. 4.
SOME CHINESE VERTEBEATES.
INTRODUCTION . . BY SAMUEL HENSHAW.
PISCES .... BY SAMUEL GARMAN.
AMPHIBIA AND REPTILIA BY THOMAS BARBOUR.
AVES .... BY JOHN E. THAYER AND OUTRAM BANGS.
MAMMALIA BY GLOVER M. ALLEN.
WITH SIX PLATES.
CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.:
prtnteo for tbe flDuseum.
AUGUST, 1912.
SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
CONTENTS.
PAO«
INTRODUCTION.— BY SAMUEL HENSHAW 107
PISCES.— BY SAMUEL CARMAN .111
AMPHIBIA AND REPTILIA.— BY THOMAS BARBOUK .... .125
AVES. — BY JOHN E. THAYER AND OUTRAM BANGS ...... . 137
MAMMALIA.— BY GLOVER M. ALLEN . 201
INTRODUCTION.
BY SAMUEL HENSHAW.
THE collections described in the following pages were made in the Chinese
provinces of Hupeh and Szechwan during the years 1907 and 1908. With hardly
an exception they represent the work of Mr. Walter R. Zappey while he was
attached to the expedition sent out by the Arnold Arboretum, under the direc-
tion of Mr. E. H. Wilson, the well-known botanical collector.
Mr. John E. Thayer, recognizing the need of zoological work in lower China,
secured the consent of Prof. C. S. Sargent, the Director of the Arnold Arboretum,
for a trained collector to accompany Mr. Wilson, and most generously provided
the necessary financial support. The obligations of the Museum to Mr. Thayer,
already very great, were much increased by this recent act of liberality, and his
selection of Mr. Zappey for the work was very fortunate. Mr. Zappey's zeal
was such as to require a constant word of caution that he might not overtax
his strength, while the size and condition of the entire series of specimens afford
evidence alike of his judgment, his energy, his skill in preparation, and his care
and watchfulness during the many difficulties in transportation. The results of
Mr. Thayer's liberality and Mr. Zappey's zeal would have been very much less,
however, had they not been supplemented by the tact and administrative ability
of Mr. Wilson. Mr. Wilson's earlier work in China was of distinct advantage
for the success of the Arboretum Expedition. It had shown that he possessed
the trustworthiness characteristic of his race, and the natural and ever present
suspiciousness of the natives towards aliens engaged in a line of work the object
of which is not wholly clear, was happily avoided, from the beginning.
It should also be recognized that all of Mr. Wilson's time and energy were
required for his botanical work l and that every additional task he assumed,
even though willingly and successfully, was nevertheless a burden.
The transcription of Chinese geographic names presents difficulties of ortho-
graphy, syllabication, and capitalization; in some works the same name is vari-
ously given. It is believed that throughout the following pages a considerable
degree of uniformity has been achieved, a result due to Mr. E. C. Drew, who has
'Some of the results of Mr. Wilson's work in China have been published by the Arboretum: —
Plantae Wilsonianae. Part I. Cambridge July 31, 1911, 144 pp. Part II. Cambridge, April 30,
1912, 168 pp.
108 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
most kindly revised a list of the geographic names and corrected many puzzling
variations due largely to phonetic spelling.
The larger part of the material secured consists of birds and mammals,
though other interesting vertebrates were collected together with a small series
of invertebrates, chiefly insects.
Messrs. Wilson and Zappey landed at Shanghai the 4th of February, 1907;
while outfitting, Mr. Zappey employed his time in collecting in the immediate
environs of Shanghai, but here, as in the vicinity of other large cities, the density
of the population precluded effective collecting. Ichang, Hupeh, the base for
much of the work of the Expedition was reached on the 26th of February, and
after several weeks spent in its vicinity Mr. Zappey left that city early in April
and collected for about two months among the mountains north of the Yangtze.
Here at varying altitudes of from 2,400 to 9,500 feet in well forested country,
pheasants were abundant and the probable occurrence of the Takin, (Budorcas),
noted.
With the exception of two weeks passed unfortunately in the hospital at
Hankow, Mr. Zappey collected during June, July, and August in the Ichang
region or between Ichang and Shasi; much rain fell during this period and the
weather when fair was very hot. September and October also proved rainy in
and about Ichang.
Between the 5th and 20th of November, Mr. Zappey worked at higher
altitudes at Shihtowya, Kwangpow, Putze, and neighboring places, good weather
prevailing, but cold and cloudy days were experienced again at Ichang between
the 21st of November and the 1st of December. December proved fair, with the
temperature cool or cold, and a considerable series of birds and mammals was
secured. The search for Serow among the mountains was unsuccessful, though
their tracks were found on several occasions and the alarm note which Mr.
Zappey describes as "a series of snorting squeals sounding like * * * tearing a
piece of starched cloth such as a window shade" furnished additional evidence
of their presence.
In 1908, January, February, and early March were spent in short trips down
the river; on the 15th of January at Ichanghsien the first Goral, Naemorhedus
griseus, was collected; others of both sexes, young and old, were taken later.
These goat-like antelopes were not uncommon on the precipitous evergreen-
clothed cliffs; they were seen, however, only in open places as they jumped from
ledge to ledge and their capture was thus to a certain degree a matter of chance.
Kwangtitze, situated about fifteen miles below Shasi, with an abundance of
HENSHAW: INTRODUCTION.
109
The river-boat was left at this point.
grass cover and numerous reedy pools, proved an ideal country for deer; and
here, early in February, water deer, Hydrelaphus inermis, were plentiful and a
fine series was secured.
Returning to Ichang the 18th of February, the interval until the 13th of
March was occupied, principally, in the care of material and in the preparation
for a long river trip to the west.
Leaving Ichang the 13th of March the following list of localities with dates
will indicate the route travelled:—
1908: March 16 — Nantow.
25 — Patunghsien.
April 1 — Wanhsien.
1908: April 4 — Changchowhsien.
11 — Chungking.
21 — Juchi.
26 — Nanchihsien.
30 — Suifu.
May 6 — Kiating.
12 — Lungchi.
15 — Washan.
June 13 — Kiating.
21 — Hungyahsien.
29 — Nitow.
July 4 — Tachienlu.
14 — Yachiakun.
18 — Lianghokow.
24 — Cheto.
August 5 — Tongolow.
7 — Nachuka.
15 — Ramala Pass.
16 — Shuowlow. Farthest west.
1908: 'August 26 — Nachuka.
31 — Tachienlu.
September 6 — Lianghokow.
17 — Tachiao.
23 — Tachienlu.
October 9 — Yachow.
17 — Omeihsien.
22 — Washan.
110 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
November 9 — Tsaikow.
11 — Omeihsien.
15 — Chinchiang.
30 — Chiachianghsien.
December 3 — Yachow.
8 — Kiating. River-boat trip resumed.
23 — Suifu.
29 — Chungking.
1909: January 14 — Ichang.
22 — Hochiaping.
February 2 — Changyanghsien.
5 — Ichang.
March 7 — Shasi.
18 — Nankin.
26 — Leave Shanghai.
As shown by the above itinerary, the Expedition was planned as a recon-
naissance and covered too much ground to allow successful intensive collecting.
At five localities only were fifty or more species obtained; the largest number,
194, was taken at Ichang, and 91, the next in number, at Washan. This last
locality proved of great scientific interest and ten of the thirty-six new forms
discovered were found there. It was at Washan that a herd of Takins, Budorcas
tibetanus, was observed. Two individuals, a young male and a young female,
said by the natives to be about a month old, were taken. The herd was feeding
on the side of the steep mountain at an elevation of about 10,000 feet and
was well concealed in the dense bamboo thicket. The flesh of these Takin
proved palatable and in taste resembled mutton. The native names for the
Takin are Yare niu ngai nu and Parn nyang.
Serow, Capricornis argyrochaetes, were also found at Washan, where they
frequented the recesses of the most precipitous cliffs. The native name of the
Serow is Ngailu (Cliff donkey).
Though formerly abundant throughout the region traversed by Mr. Zappey,
the Musk deer, Moschus sifanicus, has been so persistently hunted for the sake
of its valuable secretion that it is now practically exterminated. One specimen
was shot at Shuowlow the 19th of August, 1908. The odor from the scent-gland
was most powerful though quite different, Mr. Zappey notes, from that of the
refined perfume. The habit of this species of frequenting the trunks of fallen
trees is well known to the Chinese.
PISCES.
BY SAMUEL GARMAN.
The fishes, twenty-nine species, secured by this Expedition were taken at
various points on the Yangtze Kiang and its affluent the Min, between Kiating
and Shasi sixty miles or more below Ichang, Hupeh. Three of the species are
Chinese perches, Siniperca, also said to be found in Japan ; one is a clupeoid,
Coilia, heretofore known as marine,. the presence of which so far from the mouth
of the river is probably due to a habit of spawning in fresh water; another is
an Ophicephalus of wide range in eastern Asia; three others are siluroids,
one of them very widely distributed, another peculiar to the locality, and a
third apparently undescribed; twenty are cyprinoids which taken together
might indicate rather less dependence on barbels in their region than farther
to the south or to the west; three of these species appear to be undescribed;
and finally one of the species is an eel, Monopterus, which has been taken in
numerous localities of China, India, the East Indian Archipelago, and Japan.
In early days the fishes of the valley of the Yangtze were more distinct, because
more isolated, than at present. By means of the Grand Canal all streams of
moderate length between Hangchow on the south and Pekin on the north were
linked together so that the basin of the Hwang Ho, draining into the Gulf of
Chihli, and that of the Yangtze Kiang drained into the Yellow Sea are no longer
so far as concerns their fishes to be treated as distinct faunal regions. This
connection by the Canal accounts for the fact that Basilewsky, 1855, has de-
scribed so many of the species contained in the present series, from collections
in great part made in streams flowing into the Gulf of Chihli, and also for the
fact that his types and specimens from the Yangtze differ so little. The Chinese
types described by Bleeker were mainly taken near the mouth of the Yangtze,
as were those described by Steindachner and the earlier of those of Giinther.
By later contributions Sauvage, Giinther, and Regan have added to the knowl-
edge of the species much nearer the sources of the river. The localities tra-
versed by Mr. Zappey were thus pretty well surrounded by the localities of
earlier workers. In the following list additions to original descriptions and
variations of individual specimens are recorded by the partial diagnoses
appended.
112 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
SERRANIDAE.
SINIPERCA CHUA-TSI (Basilewsky) Gill.
A number of specimens of the Chinese perch that would usually be placed
under S. chua-tsi separate readily into two groups : — one, the species proper, char-
acterized by an eye about one sixth of the length of the head, or one and one
half times the interorbital width, and on which the maxillary reaches beyond
a vertical from the hind edge of the eye, and another in which the eye is nearly
one fourth of the length of the head, or about twice the interorbital width and
in which there is a considerable distance behind the end of the maxillary in
-y
front of a vertical at the hind border of the orbit. In the numbers of fin-rays
or in markings the two groups show little difference, but the scales on the speci-
mens with the small eyes appear to be smaller. The presence of the two forms
in the same locality may be ascribed to individual variation in a single
species, or may be credited to an intermixture of two quite distinct species at
some time or in some parts of their respective ranges. The two figures pub-
lished by Basilewsky, 1855, represent the small-eyed form. Kner, 1867, under
the same name, figured a specimen, in which the eye is much larger and the
maxillary approaches a vertical from the hind edge of the orbit, which might
better be placed in the group with large eyes, though the type of the latter
described below has a still larger eye and an orbit extending farther backward
than the end of the maxillary. As the theory of a mixing of two forms originally
distinct is favored here, the large-eyed one is described as Siniperca knerii
and certain characters of the specimen chosen for a type are noted.
Ichang.
SINIPERCA KNERII, sp. nov.
D. 12 + 14, A. 3 + 9, V. 6, P. 2 + 14; LI. 125$ ca.
Similar to S. chua-tsi, but differing in a much larger eye. Diameter of
orbit five sixths of its distance from the extreme end of the snout, nearly twice
the width of the interorbital space, or twice the greatest width of the maxillary,
or equal to the distance from the orbit to the front of the intermaxillary. Maxil-
lary subtending the anterior three fourths of the eye. Dorsal origin above
that of the pectoral; spinous portion twice as long as the soft; spines increasing
in length to the fifth, which is about one third of the length of the head, a little
shorter than the soft rays, or than the second anal spine which last is the
longest and most robust on the body. First and third anal spines shorter and
CARMAN: PISCES. 113
more slender than the second. Markings differing little from those of the small-
eyed form.
Type: — No. 29844 M. C. Z. Hupeh: Ichang.
SINIPERCA SCHERZERI Steindachner.
Agrees closely with the figure by Steindachner, the most noticeable differ-
ence being in the larger size and greater number of the teeth on the posterior
edge of the operculum.
Ichang.
OPHICEPHALIDAE.
OPHICEPHALUS ARGUS Cantor.
D. 48, A. 32; LI. 63&.
Kiating.
CLUPEIDAE.
•
COILIA NASUS Schlegel.
D. 13, A. 98, P. 6 + 11; LI. 76.
Ventral serration with twenty-two teeth in front of the ventral fins and
thirty-six behind their origins. Intermediate between C. nasus and C. ectenes
Jordan and Starks but not to be separated from the former.
Kiating.
CYPRINIDAE.
CYPRINUS CARPIO Linns'.
D. 22, A. 8, V. 9, p. 17; LI. 35i; Phar. teeth 3.1.2 | 2.1.3; 4 barbels.
Shasi.
CARASSIUS CARASSIUS (LinneO Nilsson.
D. 20, A. 8, V. 9, P. 16; LI. 29?; Phar. teeth 3 | 3; no barbels.
Ichang.
PARABRAMIS PEKINENSIS (Basilewsky) Bleeker.
Abramis pekinensis BASIL., 1855, Nouv. mem. Soc. nat. Mosc., 10, p. 237, pi. 6, f. 2.
Acanthobrama pekinensis BLEEKER, 1860, Ichth. Arch. Ind. Prodr., 2, Cypr., p. 282.
Culler pekinensis KNER, 1867, Novara fisehe, p. 360, pi. 14, f. 4.
Chanodichthys pekinensis GUNTHER, 1868, Cat., 7, p. 327.
Parabramis pekinensis BLEEKER, 1871, Nat. verb. k. akad., 12, p. 80.
114 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
D. 3 + 7, A. 3 + 32, V. 9, P. 17; LI. 53^; Phar. teeth 5.4.2 2.4.4.
These specimens are not as dark on the body or fins as that figured by
Basilewsky, but the scales have the light centres surrounded by puncticulations
of brown. Distally each of the fins is darker. The general effect of the color
is silver rather than brown. Body keeled from the pectorals backward to the
end of the anal base. Dorsal origin midway from end of snout to base of caudal.
Kner's figure does not represent the species very well, as it is too slender; the
description is good. Basilewsky described the species from affluents of Chihli;
Mr. Zappey secured it at Ichang.
OPSARIICHTHYS ACUTIPINNIS (Bleeker) Giinther.
Barilius (Barilius) acutipinnis BLEEKER, 1871, Nat. verb. k. akad., 12, p. 81, pi. 13, f. 1.
Opsariichthys aculipinnis and 0. bidens GiiNT., 1873, Ann. mag. nat. hist., ser. 4, 12, p. 249.
The figure of 0. acutipinnis was made from a half grown specimen. The
description of 0. bidens also was drawn from a specimen not fully developed.
The specimens at hand make it evident that 0. bidens is a synonym. The
notches of the jaws are very evident on some and hardly noticeable on others.
There is much variation in individuals aside from the peculiar sexual changes
in the fins and the tubercles of the cheeks. The pharyngeal teeth vary from
4.2 to 4.3 and to 4.3.1. The difference in numbers of rays or of scales is not
great. In the adult the markings on the fins and flanks are like those of 0.
platypus, but the interradial spots are more distinct, and on some the lower half
of the face is blackish.
Kiating, Min River.
GARRA (AGENEIOGARRA) IMBERBA, subgen. nov. sp. nov.
D. 13 (4 + 9), A. 8, V. 10, p. 17; LI. 50|, head to D. 17; Phar. teeth 5.4.2 |
2.4.5, slender, pointed.
Body elongate, greatest depth about equal to length of head or one seventh
of the total length, compressed posteriorly, depressed and broadened in front.
Head wider than deep, flattened below, slightly convex, both longitudinally
and transversely, on the top. Snout very wide, short, broadly rounded across
the end. Eye moderate, less than one fourth as long as the head and behind
its mid length, in width of orbit less than half the interocular space. Nostrils
close together, nearer to the eye than to the end of the snout. Snout without
a lobe above, as in G. lamta, but with a group of pits at each side of the middle
CARMAN: PISCES. 115
of the upper surface. Mouth large, inferior, outline somewhat arched trans-
versely; upper lip fringed, connected at the angles with a fold passing a short
distance behind that at the hind edge of the disk; jaws sharp-edged. The
deep transverse groove in front of the disk, behind the lower jaws, is not con-
tinued at its sides. No barbels. Pectorals short, reaching more than half
way to the ventrals. Middle of dorsal base half way from snout to base of
caudal; fin as high as long, hind margin deeply indented. Ventrals shorter
than the dorsal, but extending a little farther backward, origins below the
eighth ray of the dorsal. Anal smaller than the ventrals, origin midway be-
tween the bases of the ventrals and the base of the caudal. Caudal deeply
notched. Total length 10.5 inches.
Lower surfaces uniform yellowish; back darker yellow to brownish, each
scale with a transverse darker streak on its forward portion, those on the
lateral line a little more distinct.
The generic diagnosis of Garra being modified so as to include G. imberba,
with Bleeker's subdivisions, based on the number of barbels, the subgenera
Garra, with four barbels, Discognathus with two, and Ageneiogarra with no
barbels, are readily distinguished.
Type:— No. 29835 M. C. Z. Western Szechuan: Kiating, Min River. W.
R. Zappey.
ONYCHOSTOMA LATICEPS Giinther.
D. 4 + 8, A. 3 + 5, V. 9, P. 16; LI. 49f; Phar. teeth 5.3.2 2.3.5, slender,
pointed.
Slight differences from the type are to be seen among these specimens.
Head short, about one fifth of the length to the base of the caudal, moderately
broad, blunt, arched from the snout to the eyes and across the interorbital
region. Eye one fourth of the length of the head, in front of its mid length.
No barbels. Mouth large, arched, reaching the sides of the head below
the eyes; lower jaws very strong, with a slight knob below the symphysis;
upper jaws thin and protrusive (downward); upper lip thin, distinct. Pectorals
small, pointed, reaching a vertical from the origin of the dorsal. Dorsal with
a strong serrated spine, the fourth ray longer than the head, hind margin of
fin concave, angles acute, middle of base in the middle of the total length with-
out the caudal. Ventral origin below the sixth dorsal ray, outer angle acute.
Anal short, pointed, origin midway from the origins of the ventrals to the base
of the caudal, third ray as long as the head. Caudal deeply notched, lobes
116 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
acute. Scales moderate, longitudinally with fine striations. Lateral line in
the middle of the side of the tail. Largest specimen eleven inches.
Lustrous golden, darker on upper half of body and head; fins darker.
Originally described from Huisien.
Ichang.
CTENOPHARYGODON IDELLUS (Valenciennes) Giinther.
D. 10, A. 11, V. 9, P. 20; LI. 43?, 18 scales from head to dorsal; Phar.
teeth 4.2 | 2.5.
Top and sides of head darkened by dots of black pigment; scales of back
and flanks similarly darkened near the edges; fins dark on their edges, distally
thickly dotted with black; lower surfaces uniform light.
Shasi.
MYLOLEUCISCUS ATRIPINNIS, gen. nov. sp. nov.
D. 10, A. 11, V. 9, P. 21; LI. 42?; 16 scales in front of the dorsal; Phar.
teeth 5 | 5, in a single series.
Form resembling that of Ctenopharygodon idellus, elongate, compressed
and rather deep in the caudal region. Head about one fourth and depth two
ninths of the length from end of snout to base of caudal, a little deeper than
broad posteriorly, pointed in front, subquadrangular in cross section; crown
broad posteriorly, convex transversely. Eye large, length two ninths of that
of the head; bones of the orbital series narrow, preorbital bone little longer
than deep. Mouth moderate, somewhat oblique, width and length about
equal; maxillary hardly reaching a vertical from the orbit; intermaxillary
protractile. No barbels. Pharyngeal teeth in a single series of five, two of
which are very broad, stout, rounded molars, the remaining three being longer,
more slender, and compressed with crowns of a different shape and concave.
Fins rather small. Pectorals reaching two thirds of the distance to the ventrals.
Dorsal origin midway from end of snout to base of caudal. Ventral origin
below the third ray of the dorsal, fin not reaching as far back as the dorsal.
Anal origin midway from origins of ventrals to base of caudal. Caudal notch
not half the length of the fin.
Body dark with puncticulations of black; fins blackish.
Type:— No. 29817 M. C. Z. Hupeh: Shasi. W. R. Zappey.
The genus Myloleuciscus may be characterized by a single series of pharyn-
geal teeth, some of which are extremely broad, short, rounded molars and
CARMAN: PISCES. 117
others are longer, more slender and compressed, and have oblique, concave,
pointed crowns. It is probable that Leuciscus aelhiops Basilewsky, 1855,
belongs to this genus. Giinther's use of that species as the type of his genus
Myloleucus, 1873, will not interfere, since the name Myloleucus had been applied
by Cope, 1871, to other species not congeneric. Myloleucus of Giinther, 1873,
was "characterized by extremely broad, molar-like pharyngeal teeth, in a
single series."
SQUALIOBARBUS CURRICULUS (Richardson) Giinther.
D. 10, A. 11, V. 9, P. 17; LI. 45f; Phar. teeth 5.3.2 | 2.3.4, compressed,
pointed.
Dorsal origin midway from snout to base of caudal. Origins of the ventrals
below the third ray of the dorsal. Anal origin midway from the axils of the
ventrals to the base of the caudal. A minute barbel at the angle of the mouth.
Silvery; blackish on the bases of the scales of the flanks and the back,
forming longitudinal vittae; silver-white under the edge of the opercle to the
shoulders; fins dusky.
Ichang.
SQUALIOBARBUS ELONGATUS Kner.
D. 12, A. 12, V. 10, P. 19; LI. 68-70^, 30 scales from head to dorsal.
Mouth reaching to a vertical from the nostril, not to the anterior border
of the eye. No barbels. Preorbital bone very large, close to the eye the
nostrils and the mouth cleft; suborbitals narrow, elongate. Pharyngeal teeth
5.4.2 | 2.4.4, compressed and hooked. Peritoneum blackish, silvered. Origin
of the dorsal halfway from the end of the snout to the base of the caudal, very
little farther back than the origins of the ventrals. Scales lustrous silver;
back darker, olivaceous. A close ally of Squaliobarbus dahuricus Basilewsky
from Mongolia and Mantchuria but distinguished by fewer scales in the lateral
line and by the position of the dorsal, nearer the head.
Ichang.
XENOCYPRIS NITIDUS, sp. nov.
D. 3 + 7, A. 3 + 9, V. 9, P. 18; LI. GO^9.
Body much compressed, not keeled below, depth, or length of head, about
two ninths of the length, without the caudal. Eye large, two sevenths of the
head, equal its distance from the end of the snout. Suborbital bones narrow,
118 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
elongate. Snout produced. Mouth inferior, transverse, bent backward at
the preorbital bone. Pharyngeal teeth 6.4.2 2.4.6, larger compressed pointed
and rigid, smaller slender and movable in the inner rows. Pectorals small,
not reaching the ventrals. Ventral origins below the middle of the dorsal base.
Third ray of the dorsal strong, as long as the head. Anal small, base twice
as far from the bases of the ventrals as from the base of caudal. Dorsal origin
a little forward of midway from end of snout to base of caudal, fourth ray in
the mid length, spine as long as the head. Caudal deeply notched. Scales
moderate.
Cheeks and scales silvery; upper half of body, and top of head brownish.
Intermediate between X. tapeinosoma Bleeker and X . argentea Giinther.
Xenocypris nitidus is more elongate and less oval than X. lampertii Popta;
the eye is larger and about half its length is in the hinder half of the head, it
is also about twice as far from the upper outline of the head as from the lower;
there is no keel in front of the vent; there are more scales in the lateral line
and fewer in the transverse; and the origin of the dorsal is farther forward.
Types:— No. 29822, 29823 M. C. Z. Hupeh: Shasi. W. R. Zappey.
HEMICTJLTER LEUCISCULTJS (Basilewsky) Bleeker.
D. 9, A. 16, V. 6, P. 15; LI. 45f, head to dorsal 19 scales.
Dorsal origin in the middle of the length from the end of the snout to the
base of the caudal, at a vertical from the hind ends of the bases of the ventrals.
Pectorals acuminate, ending in front of the origins of the ventrals at a distance
greater than the length of the orbit.
The type of this species was taken in streams flowing into the Gulf of
Chihli. The' specimens in this collection were taken at Shasi on the Yangtze
Kiang.
Among individual variations it is to be noticed that on some specimens the
lateral line rises abruptly above the base of the anal, on four scales, then con-
tinues for eight scales in the middle of the caudal pedicel in a direct line; on
others the rise is as gradual as that figured by Bleeker.
CULTER DABRYI Bleeker.
D. 3 + 7, A. 3 + 26, V. 9, P. 15; LI. 64^2.
Depth equal four seventeenths of the length to the base of the caudal;
head equal two ninths of the same length. Nape slightly convex. Abdominal
G ARM AN: PISCES. 119
edge trenchant from the pectorals to the anal. Eye large, diameter nearly
one sixth of the head ; longer than the distance from the end of the snout. Mouth
nearly vertical, maxillary reaching below the hinder nostril. Preorbital bone
deeper than long; suborbitals narrow. Pharyngeal teeth 5.4.2 | 2.4.5, com-
pressed, pointed, hooked at the apex. Dorsal origin half the length of the
orbit behind the middle of the length from snout to base of caudal; third spine
strong, as long as the head. Caudal pedicel longer than deep in the free portion.
Lateral line curving downward on the flank and again up to the middle of the
pedicel. Total length, six inches.
Silvery; back brownish or olive tinted.
Shasi.
LUCIOBRAMA TYPUS Bleeker.
D. 10, A. 13, V. 10, P. 15; LI. 150?§ ca.
Head long, pointed, scaleless, one fourth of the total length. Eye in the
foremost third of the head. Mouth little longer than the eye; maxillary
reaching nearly to the orbit. Dorsal origin in the middle of the length from the
eye to the end of the caudal, about one length of the dorsal base farther back
than the origin of the anal. Pectorals small. Pharyngeal teeth 5.1 | 1.5 nearly
straight, slender, tapering to a point. Bleeker says of these teeth, "valde
gracilibus insertis uniseriatis acicularibus vix curvatis 4 | 4," which indicates
a considerable variation, with need of some change in the generic diagnosis.
Caudal notch deep, lobes subequal. Bright silvery, somewhat darkened on
the back.
Ichang.
HEMIBARBUS MACULATUS Bleeker.
D. 3 + 7, A. 3 + 6, V. 9, P. 20; LI. 49?.
Maxillary barbels half as long as the orbit. Orbit half as long as the snout,
or two ninths of the length of the head. Pharyngeal teeth 5.4.2 | 2.4.5, pointed.
Dorsal origin halfway from end of snout to base of caudal. Ventral origins
below the fifth ray of the dorsal. Anal origin equidistant from ventral origins
and base of caudal. About eight darker blotches on the second row above
the lateral line, apparently under the scales; below these the scales are silvery,
above they are darker and with dorsal and caudal fins somewhat maculate with
dark.
Ichang.
120 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
SATJROGOBIO DUMERILII Bleeker.
D. 9, A. 9, V. 8, P. 16; LI. 59|.
A prominence below the symphysis of the lower jaws. Barbel reaching
below the middle of the eye. Pharyngeal teeth 5 5; two of these teeth, in
each series, are molar-like, resembling those of Myloleuciscus atripinnis but
not so much differentiated. Dorsal origin at one third of the distance from the
end of the snout to the base of the caudal, and anal origin in the hindmost fourth
of this length. End of dorsal and ends of ventrals opposed. Pectorals reaching
a vertical from the origin of the dorsal. Scales of the lateral line and below
plain golden; three of the vertebral rows with brown hind margins, three other
rows at each side of the dorsal three with a brown spot on the middle of the
hinder edge of each scale, forming longitudinal vittae. Bases of fins yellow,
distal portions darker. Total length 10? inches.
Ichang, Shasi.
CORIPAREIUS, gen. nov.
Body compressed, deep in the caudal pedicel, dorsal and ventrals in the
forward half; head tapering, entirely covered by thick skin; snout produced,
blunt. Mouth narrow, inferior, lips thick. Maxillary barbels present. Phar-
yngeal teeth 5 | 5 or 4, compressed with large crown. Scales moderate, lateral
line straight, in the middle of the tail. Dorsal small, without osseous ray, above
the ventrals. Anal short.
Type. C. cetopsis (Kner).
CORIPAREIUS CETOPSIS Kner.
fGobio heterodon BLEEKER, 1864, Ned. tijd., 2, p. 26.
Labeo cetopsis KNER, 1867, Novara fische, p. 351, pi. 15, f . 2.
Barbus cetopsis GtiNTHER, 1868, Cat., 7, p. 135.
Saurogobio cetopsis BLEEKER, 1871, Nat. verb. k. akad., 12, p. 8.
D. 9, A. 9, V. 8, P. 19; LI. 54?.
The body is rather narrow, depth, or length of head, about one fifth of the
total. Head posteriorly as wide as deep, tapering forward, prominent and
bluntly rounded at the end of the narrow snout. Nostrils large, close together,
near the eye. Eye small, one eighth or less of the head, with a comparatively
wide adipose ring. Mouth as wide as long, cleft broadly rounded in front or
subtruncate. Lips thick. Barbels two, reaching the hind edge of the pre-
opercle. Entire head, including the opercles covered with loose thick skin.
CARMAN: PISCES. 121
Pharyngeal teeth 5 | 5 or 4, compressed with expanded crown. All fins acumi-
nate. Pectorals reaching the origins of the ventrals, or a vertical from the fifth
ray of the dorsal. Dorsal short, without an osseous ray, entirely in the anterior
half of the total length, hardly reaching the mid length when depressed; height
equal length of head. Ventrals short ; origins below the third dorsal ray. Anal
small; origin equidistant from that of caudal and origins of ventrals. Caudal
deeply notched, lobes pointed, upper longer. Lateral line on middle of flank
and tail, straight. Scales moderate.
Lustrous golden, more olive on back and head; each fin with a blackish
area in the distal half, tipped with white behind the black.
Luchow, Ichang, Shanghai.
RHINOGOBIO TYPUS Bleeker.
D. 10, A. 9, V. 8, P. 16; LI. 47f.
Maxillary barbel reaching behind the middle of the eye. Length of orbit
half of its distance from the end of the snout. Pharyngeal teeth in two series
5. 2 | 2.5, crowns hooked at the apex. Origins of pectorals below the fourth
ray of the dorsal, fins extending to the origins of the ventrals. Ninth ray of
the dorsal in the middle of the length from the snout to the base of the caudal ;
third ray shorter than the head. Anal origin about midway from ventral
origins to base of caudal. Caudal deeply notched, lobes sharp; caudal pedicel
elongate, not deep.
Ichang.
PSEUDOGOBIO FILIFER, Sp. nOV.
D. 10, A. 9, V. 8, P. 13-14; LI. 42-44§.
Body elongate, slender, depth about one seventh and head one fifth of the
total length. Eye moderate, one fifth of the head, nearly two thirds as long as
the snout. Snout one third of the head length. Mouth not reaching a vertical
from the eye; upper jaws the longer. Maxillary barbels extending farther
back than the eye. Dorsal origin above the origins of the ventrals. Outer
angles of pectorals and ventrals thread-like, second ray longest. Pectorals
reaching behind the bases of the ventrals. Ventrals reaching nearly as far
back as the end of the dorsal. Anal origin about midway from origins of ventrals
to base of caudal. Caudal deeply notched, lobes acuminate. Middle of dorsal
base equidistant from end of snout and base of caudal. Scales large; lateral
122 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
line descending little on the flank, ending on the middle of the tail. Form
more slender than that of P. rivularis, as figured by Steindachner; back less
high, dorsal lower; pectorals and ventrals much more produced; colors some-
what similar, but having a lateral band of silver with faint darker cloudings.
Lustrous silvery below the lateral lines; above the lines darker, blotched,
and clouded faintly with brown. Fins, dorsal and caudal, with several oblique
rows of small spots of darker brown parallel with the hind borders of the fins
and not as in P. sinensis Kner.
Types:— No. 29833, 29834 M. C. Z. Hupeh: Changyanghsien, Yangtze
Kiang River. W. R. Zappey.
BOTIA VARIEGATA Gunther.
D. 12, A. 8, V. 10, P. 15; LI. 21518; total length 15 inches.
Body compressed, depth nearly one seventh of the total length. Head
compressed, little less than one fourth of the total, greatest width about two
fifths of the length. Snout narrower than deep, high and broadly rounded at
the end. Eye small, hardly one twelfth of the length of the head. Suborbital
spine strong, rather slender pointed, not bifid. Barbels six; the maxillary
applied to the side of the head reach the end of the snout. Mouth moderate,
as wide as long; cleft sub truncate in front; upper jaws with a prominence on
the symphysis. Cheek with small scales in front of the operculum backward
from the mouth. Pectorals and ventrals with a membranous fold in the axils.
Dorsal origin equidistant from eye and base of caudal. Ventral origins below
the third ray of the dorsal. Anal origin halfway from the origins of the ventrals
to the base of the caudal. Dorsal, pectorals, and anal slightly concave on the
hind margin; ventrals little convex. Caudal deeply notched. Outer angles
of all fins acute. Depth of caudal pedicel two fifths of its length.
Brownish; head with narrow vermiculations and spots of bluish; each
fin with about four oblique irregular and broken bands of brown; body with
about six broad transverse bands of dark brown; the first and narrowest behind
the gill opening, the second between pectorals and dorsal, the third on the
origins of the ventrals, the fourth at the end of the dorsal base, the fifth above
the anal, and the sixth, as long as deep, on the base of the caudal.
The specimen described shows some variations from the type, though
both were from the same locality.
Ichang.
CARMAN: PISCES. 123
SILURIDAE.
SILURUS ASOTUS Linn6.
Ichang.
PSEUDOBAGRUS VACHELLii Richardson.
Luchow, Ichang.
LIOCASSIS NASO, sp. nov.
D. 2 + 7, A. 16, V. 6, P. 1 + 11.
Depth of body one sixth, and length of head one fifth of the total length.
Head about as broad as high at the occiput, narrowing forward, and from below
to the crown. Crown straight from the nape to end of snout. Snout produced,
sub truncate, and curving upward and forward from the mouth; not depressed
and thin as in species of Macrones, little wider than deep at the end. No labial
teeth ; palatal teeth in a transverse band narrowly divided in the middle. Eyes
lateral covered by skin, folds rudimentary, above and below. Barbels eight;
maxillary slender, not reaching the gill opening, narial reaching the middle of
the eye. Nostrils separated; anterior in front of the snout; posterior near
the eyes, with a slender barbel in front. Skull covered by thin skin, with a
minute spine on each of the ridges above the snout. Denticles of the dorsal
spine weaker than those of the inner side of the pectoral spines. Caudal deeply
notched. Adipose fin shorter than the head.
Brownish, with clouded areas at the top of the head, at the sides of the dorsal
and behind it.
Type:— No. 29847 M. C. Z. Hupeh: Ichang. W. R. Zappey.
SYMBRANCHIDAE.
MONOPTERUS JAVANENSIS Lace'pede.
Muraena alba ZUIEW, 1793.
Monoplerus javanensis LAcfipfcDE, 1800.
The arrangement of the colors on this eel is suggestive that the back and
upper surfaces are exposed to the more direct rays of light; these portions of
the body are dark while the lower half is much lighter and even white. Further,
the chin and throat are much darker than the balance of the lower surfaces,
which is probably due to the habitual carriage of head and neck raised above
the horizontal.
Washan; from a marsh near the Tung River, at an altitude of 6,000 feet
or more.
AMPHIBIA AND EEPTILIA.
BY THOMAS BARBOUR.
The collection embraces twenty-three species. For the most part they are
long known and wide-ranging forms. Three species, Hyla monticola, Ambly-
cephalus chinensis, and Agkistrodon tibelanus, are described as new.
The geographical ranges of several species have been extended by the
material in hand; and one species, Batrachypterus sinensis Boulenger, is inter-
esting because of its rarity.
So few collections have been made in the higher regions of the Szechwan-
Tibetan mountain area that even so small a series is of peculiar interest in that
it affords another addition to our knowledge of a region which has doubtless
been the centre of dispersal for very many different forms.
AMPHIBIA.
CRYPTOBRANCHIDAE.
MEGALOBATRACHUS JAPONICUS (Temminck).
TEMMINCK, Fauna Japon., 1837, pt. 3, Coup d'oeil, p. xxvi (fide Stejneger).
STEJNEGBB, Bull. 58, U. S. N. M., 1907, p. 6-11.
Stejneger says that he has no means of verifying the fact that Boulenger
regards Sieboldia davidiana Blanchard from China as identical with Japanese
specimens. That Boulenger, as was expected, as well as Krefft and Gray were
correct in this stand is proven by material now in hand. Mr. Zappey took a
fine example about two feet long at Yachow, and a young one at Hungyahsien
both towns in western Szechwan. They are not distinguishable from Japanese
specimens.
Stejneger (loc. cit., p. 7) notes the three records of Blanchard, Krefft, and
Gray from China. Other specimens are, one taken by Mr. A. E. Pratt at
Kiatingfu, Szechwan, which Gtinther called Megalobatrachus maximus, a syno-
nym of japonicus. Walterstorff (Abh. Mus. f. natur. u. heimkunde Magde-
burg, 1906, 1, 2, p. 123) records two young examples obtained from native
sources somewhere in the country back of Canton, collection of Dr. Martin
126 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
Kreyenberg. Walterstorff adds (p. 132) "Sonst in China von Muping, West-
Sze-Tschuan, bekannt."
Probably the species will prove widely distributed in China from the Yangtze
southward.
AMBLYSTOMATIDAE.
BATRACHYPTERUS SINENSIS (Sauvage).
Plate 1, Fig. 1.
SAUVAGE, Bull. Soc. philom. eer. 7, 1, p. 117.
BOULENOER, Cat. Batr. Grad., 1882, p. 37.
It is a pleasure to record the capture of this rare form at Lianghokow, west-
ern Szechwan, at an altitude of over 12,000 feet. Mr. Zappey tells me that the
single example taken was walking over a bed of damp moss among the stunted
spruces and firs at the very limit of tree growth. There was no pond or stream
of running water near by. It varies considerably from Boulenger's description
in that the tail is little compressed and shows much less fin than his figure does ;
the digits are somewhat more slender; and the coloration is slightly different.
The most important difference, however, is that the palatine teeth, instead of
being "in two short transverse arched series between the choanae," are in two
straight series slanting sharply and converging slightly anterior to the choanae;
but still with a wide interspace, as Boulenger describes. Altogether while a
series might prove that this form is specifically distinct, it seems more likely
that the differences are due to individual variation, which in such characters
as length of digits, for instance, so often shows such marked differences in these
lowly forms.
BUFONIDAE.
BUFO BUFO GARGARIZANS (Cantor).
CANTOR, Ann. mag. nat. hist., 1842, 9, p. 483.
STEJNEOER, Bull. 58, U. S. N. M., 1907, p. 68.
Mr. Zappey took nine toads about Ichang. These have been referred with
a certain hesitation to Cantor's subspecies as Stejneger defined its range. Unfor-
tunately we have no Russian, Turkestan, or Upper Chinese material available
for comparison. The specimens vary greatly in the distinctness of the tym-
panum, which is easily seen, and is half as large as the eye in some, while in
BARBOUR: AMPHIBIA AND REPTILIA. 127
others it can be made out only by close scrutiny. The back of some, as well
as the sides and thighs, are covered with large round tubercles, while in one the
back has only scattered spine-bearing warts. In some the second finger is con-
siderably longer than the first while in others they are of about equal size. In
one the parotid gland has a tendency toward a crescentic shape, while in another
it is simply elongate. The amount of black both above and below varies
extremely.
•
HYLIDAE.
HYLA ARBOREA IMMACULATA Boettger.
BOETTGER, Ber. Senck. naturf. ges., 1888, Abh., p. 189.
STEJNEQER, Bull. 58, U. S. N. M., 1907, p. 82-84.
Two specimens agree perfectly with the description of this subspecies,
except that there is a web between the outer fingers. Unfortunately the locality
tags are missing, and it is impossible to state whether they came from about
Ichang or from Szechwan. Stejneger has covered the question of the identity
of the various east Asiastic tree toads so completely that there is no need of
further remarks on the subject. The Chinese and Japanese specimens in the
M. C. Z. collection substantiate his conclusions.
HYLA MONTICOLA, sp. nov.
Plate 1, Fig. 2.
Type: — No. 2553 M. C. Z. Washan, western Szechwan, China. Altitude
10,500 feet. One adult specimen. W. R. Zappey.
Very distinct from Hyla annectans Boulenger and Hyla chinensis Gunther
with specimens of which it has been compared.
Vomerine teeth in two elongate series, well separated, converging back-
ward, beginning between the middle of the extremely small choanae and extend-
ing considerably posterior to them. Tongue large and long, deeply nicked
behind. Nostrils midway between eye and tip of snout, their distance from
each other much greater than their distance from the labial margin. Inter-
orbital space much greater than width of upper eyelid. Tympanum almost
circular, its diameter less than half that of eye. Fingers distinctly webbed at
base, slender, terminating in very small disks. Feet with rather slightly devel-
oped webs, tarsometatarsal joint, reaching tip of snout. Toes long, disks
128 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
slightly larger than those of fingers. Subarticular tubercles very weak; a
weak inner and no outer metatarsal tubercle. Skin above smooth, below smooth
on chest, but granular on throat and strongly granular on belly. An external
vocal sac in male. Color in alcohol: — blue above with ocelli of dark brown,
their centres brick-red. Throat dusky gray. Belly and inner side of limbs
white, with many dark spots.
Color in life: — "green above, with ocelli of brown, with reddish centres.
Inner side of thighs buff. Lower surfaces chrome-yellow" (W. R. Zappey).
The surmise from its structure that this was a ground-inhabiting form was
confirmed by Mr. Zappey, who tells me that it was taken above tree line among
low bushes and grass about two feet high.
RANIDAE.
RANA TIGERINA Daudin.
DAUDIN, Hist. nat. rain., 1803, fol. ed., p. 42; quarto ed., pt. 20, p. 64; Hist. nat. rept., 1803, 8, p. 125.
STEJNEGEK, Bull. 58, U. S. N. M., 1907, p. 139-142.
The forty-four specimens of this common and wide-ranging frog show no
appreciable difference from specimens taken in India and Burma. As Bengal
was the type locality for the species, this fixes beyond doubt the identity of the
Chinese individuals. Stejneger states that Formosan specimens agree with
Chinese from Hong Kong. Van Kampen (Max Weber's Zool. ergeb., 1907,
4, 2, p. 388, pi. 16, fig. C.) has separated examples from Celebes under the name
of R. t. angustopalmata. This is probably a distinct species. The Bornean
species is Rana schlueteri Werner. Specimens from Java show other differences,
as do also those from the Malay peninsula; and those from the Philippines are
recognizable as Rana vittigera Weigmann.
Though of high interest and importance a complete study of this species
is impossible owing to the lack of adults from the various localities. They are
extremely shy. In this Ichang series not one is fully adult. I have taken
specimens throughout the range of the species but have adults from Java only.
The Museum has some from India.
BARBOUR: AMPHIBIA AND REPTILIA. 129
RANA NIGROMACULATA Hallowell.
HALLOWELL, Proc. Acad. nat. sci. Phila., 1860, p. 500.
STEJNEGER, Bull. 58, U. S. N. M., 1907, p. 94-100.
Two specimens from Ichang show a slight variation from specimens from
Pekin, in that the vomerine teeth-groups are rather less prominent and slightly
nearer each other. Externally the two lots agree. One of Mr. Zappey's two
examples shows an interesting abnormality. On the left-hand side the tym-
panum is wanting and the left vomerine tooth group as well. The opposite
side shows a perfectly normal condition.
RANA PLANCYI Lataste.
LATASTE, Bull. Soc. zool. France, 1880, 6, p. 64.
STEJNEGER, Bull. 58, U. 8. N. M. 1907, p. 101-102.
Six frogs taken at Ichang belong to this species. Dr. Stejneger very kindly
identified them for me, and from his account (loc. tit.) we find previous locality
records as follows: — Peking (type locality), Shanghai, Chusan, Ningpo, and
Formosa. These six specimens taken by Mr. Zappey extend the range of the
species very greatly.
REPTILIA.
NATRICIDAE.
PTYAS MUCOSUS (Linne).
LINNE, Syst. nat., ed. 10, 1758, 1, p. 226.
STEJNEGER, Bull. 58, U. S. N. M., 1907, p. 345-347.
A single specimen from Ichang, about five feet long. Scale rows 17; ven-
trals 196, subcaudals 100, anal divided. There are 8 supralabials, and numbers
four and five enter the eye. The three middle rows of scales are not keeled.
There is but one loreal.
Widely distributed over all southeastern continental Asia.
ELAPHE TAENIURUS Cope.
COPE, Proc. Acad. nat. sci. Phila., 1860, p. 565.
BOULENGER, Cat. snakes Brit, mus., 1894, 2, p. 47.
STEJNEGER, Bull. 58, U. S. N. M., 1907, p. 319.
The record of this wide ranging form from 10,300 feet at Laolingkung near
the Tibetan frontier of western Szechwan is interesting as giving a clew to the
130 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
extent of its vertical distribution in China. The scale formula of 23 rows, 230
ventrals, and 104 subcaudals is typical. Two other specimens without data
are from either Hupeh or Szechwan.
Stejneger says, "Ranging from Darjeeling in the west to Formosa and the
Amur Province in the east, this species has the regular Himalayo-Chinese
distribution."
DINODON RUFOZONATUM (Cantor).
CANTOR, Zool. Chusan, 1840, pi. 11; Ann. mag. nat. hist., 1842, 9, p. 483.
BOULENGER, Cat. snakes Brit, mus., 1893, 1, p. 361-362.
STEJNEGER, Bull. 58, U. S. N. M., 1907, p. 358-363.
A specimen in every respect typical, from Ichang, Hupeh. This species
is a common one ranging throughout China and Korea.
LIOPELTIS MAJOR (Gunther).
G(JNTHER, Cat. coll. snakes Brit, mus., 1858, p. 120.
BOULENGER, Cat. snakes Brit, mus., 1894, 2, p. 279.
STEJNEGER, Bull. 58, U. S. N. M., 1907, p. 338-340.
A single typical specimen increases considerably the known range of this
species. Stejneger speaks of it as "apparently restricted to the lower Yangtse
Valley and coasts of eastern China, between Hongkong and Shanghai, as well
as to Formosa." The example in hand, however, comes from "eight days'
journey northwest of Ichang, Hupeh." It has been compared with a specimen
from Formosa, in this Museum (T. Barbour coll.), and found to be almost iden-
tical. In both specimens the rostral shield is divided.
NATRIX ANNULARIS (Hallowell).
HALLOWELL, Proc. Acad. nat. sci. Phila., 1856, p. 151.
BOULENGER, Cat. snakes Brit, mus., 1893, 1, p. 233.
A single specimen from Ichang whence the species does not appear to have
been previously recorded. A. E. Pratt reported the species common about
Kiukiang much lower down the Yangtze. The species ranges over middle
China and Formosa. The specimen shows only 139 ventrals, while Boulenger
notes a range of from 145 to 161. Another difference is the three postoculars
in addition to the subocular on one side; on the other side the normal condi-
tion of 2 + 1 obtains. Again on one side the loreal is deeper than broad, while
the normal opposite is found on the other side. The outer row of scales is
without keel, as are also a considerable number in the second row. The tern-
HARBOUR: AMPHIBIA AND REPTILIA. 131
porals are normal 2 + 3 on both sides. There is but one preocular and nine
supralabials on each side; of these 4 and 5 enter the orbit. The scales are in
19 rows, anal is divided, ventrals, as already mentioned, 139, while part of the
tail has been lost, only 54 pairs of subcaudals remaining.
PSEUDOXENODON siNENSis Boulenger.
BOULENGER, Ann. mag. nat. hist., 1904, ser. 7, 13, p. 134.
This form, which Boulenger remarks is so very nearly related to P. macrops
(Blyth), is nevertheless a distinct and easily distinguishable one. As it was
reported by the describer from both Yunnan and Szechwan, it is not surprising
to find a typical example from Laolingkung, western Szechwan at an altitude
of 10,300 feet. Not long ago I was fortunate enough to get a specimen taken
at Ytinnanfu by Mr. Graham at 6,000 feet altitude. Boulenger's Yunnan
records were based on specimens taken by the same collector in the same locality.
Both of these examples come within the range of variation which Boulenger
cites for the five previously published specimens.
So far as known the species is confined to Szechwan and Yunnan.
ELAPIDAE.
BUNGARUS CAERULEUS MULTICINCTUS (Blyth).
BLYTH, Journ. Asiat. soc. Bengal, 1861, 29, p. 98.
BOULENGER, Cat. snakes Brit, mus., 1896, 3, p. 369.
STEJNEGER, Bull. 58, U. S. N. M., 1907, p. 397-399.
Dr. Stejneger (loc. cit.) has treated this form as one which he must consider
nominally of specific value until it can be actually shown to join the Indian Krait
B. caeruleus. The differences, however, are of such slight value that they do
not warrant more than subspecific rank, even though our present insufficient
material does not permit of our showing now the intergrading with not only
the typical race, but also with the considerably more distinct Malaysian form,
B. candidus.
This race, which is distributed through southern China from "The moun-
tains north of Kiu-kiang" on the Yangtze-kiang to Kwangtung, Kwangsi, and
the islands of Hainan and Formosa. Mr. Zappey's example from Ichang,
Hupeh seems the first taken in that province and extends considerably the
hitherto known range into western China.
132 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
AMBLYCEPHALIDAE.
AMBLYCEPHALTJS CHINENSIS, sp. nov.
Plate 2, Fig. 1.
Type: — No. 7326 M. C. Z. Luluping, western Szechwan, China. W. R.
Zappey.
Closely related to A. monticola (Cantor) from the eastern Himalayas,
Khasi and Naga hills, and the Nocobar Islands.
Rostral not quite as deep as broad; internasals not half as long as pre-
frontals; latter entering orbit; frontal slightly longer than broad, longer than
its distance from the end of the snout, much shorter than the parietals; loreal
present but excluded from and entering orbit by two rather small preoculars;
two postoculars, which on one side are fused into one; temporals 2+3; seven
upper labials of which the fourth barely enters the orbit on one side, while on
the other all are excluded by the extended inferior pref rentals and postfrontals ;
three pairs of large chin shields, anterior longer than broad and in contact with
the symphyrial. Scales in 15 rows, smooth; three rows of vertebrals slightly
enlarged. Ventrals 180; anal entire; subcaudals 60.
Color : — brown above, with vertical blackish bars on the sides ; a black
line from eye extending along nape, which is connected with its fellow on the
opposite side by a black line which curves forward so as to almost touch the
parietals; another black line from the eye to the angle of the mouth; yellowish
below with very scattered dots of blackish brown.
Although there can be no doubt as to the very great similarity of this
species with Cantor's A. monticola, yet it may be easily distinguished by the
fact that the loreal does not enter the eye; nor does more than one labial. The
very slightly enlarged vertebrals have no tendency toward becoming hexagonal,
and there are rather fewer of both ventral and subcaudal scales in the type
specimen than the least number recorded for Cantor's species. It shows rela-
tionship also with A. malaccanus (Peters), which, however, has no preocular.
CROTALIDAE.
AGKISTRODON BLOMHOFFII BREVICAUDUS Stejneger.
Plate 2, Fig. 2.
STEJNEOBR, Bull. 58, U. S. N. M., 1907, p. 463-464.
BARBOUR: AMPHIBIA AND REPTILIA. 133
To this recently described subspecies three specimens taken by Mr. Zappey
may be assigned. Two are from Ichang, from whence specimens have been
recorded from the collection of the British museum (Stejneger, loc. cit., p. 454).
The scales run 21 rows; 145 ventrals, 39 subcaudals, and 7 labials for one, the
other is mutilated. The third specimen comes from Kweichowhsien, Hupeh.
Scales in 21 rows; 141 ventrals; 35 subcaudals, and 7 labials.
Occurs in Korea, eastern and part of central and of western China, Formosa,
and possibly Hainan.
AGKISTRODON TIBETANUS, sp. nov.
Plate 2, Fig. 3, 4.
Type:— No. 7327 M. C. Z. Ramala Pass beyond Tachienlu, western Sze-
chwan: altitude 13,000 feet. W. R. Zappey.
Rostral as high as broad, scarcely visible from above; internasals large,
roughly triangular, their suture almost as long as that of prefrontals, which are
broadly in contact with supraoculars; frontal longer than broad, as long as the
distance from rostral supraoculars, as long as frontal but narrower; parietals
considerably longer than supraoculars; nostril round in the posterior part of
the anterior nasal, which is slightly larger than the posterior; two loreals, one
above the other, the lower one bordering the pit anteriorly; a narrow subfoveal
enters the orbit with two preoculars, one of which also borders the pit posteriorly;
pit very near eye, in fact meeting the orbit; two postoculars, of which the lower
is long, narrow, and concentric, reaching far under the eye, but not approaching
the scales behind the pit, as in A. blomhoffii; 2+4 temporals, of which the
lower ones in each row are large hexagonal shields, those above being small
scales (none keeled as in A. blomhoffii) ; the lower temporal of the third row large
and shaped like those in front of it ; the three lower temporals forming a series
of large shields, larger than the adjoining labials; seven upper labials, second
smallest, third and fourth very large, the rest gradually diminishing in size
posteriorly; the third enters the eye for its entire superior margin, chin shields
as in Stejneger's figure of the ventral view of head of A. blomhoffii (Bull. 58,
U. S. N. M., 1907, p. 458, fig. 364) ; twenty-one rows of keeled scales, usually
with indistinct apical pits; 152 ventrals; anal entire; 43 subcaudals, all divided.
The color is worthy of somewhat extended notice. The whole back is dull
green with rhombic darker markings. Lower surfaces mottled black and dark
grayish. Lower row of scales with light spots which alternate with light spots
134 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
on the extremities of the ventrals; between these two series of spots runs a
zigzag black continuous band. On top of the head there is a dark blotch running
from the edge of the frontal to a band from eye along neck. A rough horseshoe-
shaped mark on the nape of the neck with the bow directed forward. The
figures of this example compared with one of A. b. brevicaudus Stejneger show
how radical is the difference in type of marking between the two forms, as well
as the other divergences.
When showing the type of this species to Dr. Stejneger, he at once confirmed
my decision to describe it as new, and remarked that he did not believe it to be
very nearly related to any of the described forms, but to represent. a species by
far the most primitive of any in the genus. This is, of course, exactly what one
might suppose would be the case with a form coming from the habitat of A.
tibetanus.
AGAMIDAE.
JAPALURA YUNNANENSIS Anderson.
ANDERSON, Zool. W. Yunnan, 1878, p. 803, pi. 66, fig. 2.
BOULENGER, Cat. lizards Brit, mus., 1885, 1, p. 310.
Five specimens taken among Cacti on the sandy shores of the Tung River
in western Szechwan. These show no essential differences from Anderson's
figure except that in none of these examples, and one is an adult male, do the
spines of the weak nuchal crest reach the length which his figure shows. For
in that three or four spines on the nape have a length almost equalling the
diameter of the orbit, in none of these is the length one third as great. The
types came from Momein or Tengyuehchow in western Yunnan. Swinhoe
has collected the species in Szechwan.
SCINCIDAE.
ETJMECES XANTHI Giinther.
GATHER, Ann. mag. nat. hist., 1889, ser. 6, 4, p. 220.
A single specimen from Ichang, the type locality and the only one from
whence the species has been reported, differs somewhat from the original descrip-
tion. There is only one loreal, which, however, forms a suture with the fronto-
nasals. There is also only one pair of nuchals. The second azygos postmental
is separated from the first by the meeting on the median line of a pair of large
BARBOUR: AMPHIBIA AND REPTILIA. 135
gular shields. There are five light longitudinal stripes on the back and sides.
The central one bifurcates on the head, and the resultants meet the laterodorsal
bands at the anterior margin of the eye.
LEIOLEPISMA LATERALE (Say).
SAY, Long's exped. Rocky Mts., 1823, 2, p. 324.
BOULENGER, Cat. lizards Brit, mus., 1887, 3, p. 264.
STEJNEGER, Bull. 58, U. S. N. M., 1907, p. 218.
Careful comparison of a specimen taken by Mr. Zappey at Washan, western
Szechwan, at 6,000 feet altitude, and another which the writer obtained, col-
lected by Mr. John Graham at Yiinnanfu at the same altitude, with North
American examples, has forced the same conclusion previously reached by
Boulenger and Stejneger as to the identity of specimens from both continents.
Among a number of examples in the collection of the M. C. Z. from Florida,
Texas, and Arkansas, individuals may be picked out which can not be separated
from the two Chinese examples mentioned. Thus L. reevesii (Gray) becomes a
synonym of L. laterale (Say).
This most remarkable distribution embraces the southeastern United
States west to the Rockies, and including Mexico (Jalapa, example in British
Museum), as well as almost all of southern and central China and the Riu Kiu
Islands.
TRIONYCHIDAE.
AMYDA SINENSIS (Wiegmann).
WIEGMANN, Nova acta Acad. Leop. Carol., 1834, 17, p. 189.
STEJNEGER, Bull. 58, U. S. N. M., 1907, p. 524-526.
A specimen from Chungking, Szechwan, which I have compared with ex-
amples in the collection of the U. S. N. M. from other localities, does not differ
appreciably from specimens from Honan and Formosa, nor yet from Japanese
examples, so that it adds evidence in support of Stejneger (Proc. U. S. N. M.
1910, 38, p. 114).
TESTUDINIDAE.
GEOCLEMYS REEVESII (Gray).
GRAY, Synopsis rept,., 1831, p. 73.
STEJNEGER, Bull. 58, U. S. N. M., 1907, p. 497-500.
Eleven specimens from Ichang.
136 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
Stejneger says: "In China it is known from Tientsin to Canton, and in
the interior at least as far as Hankow." It occurs also in Cochin China, Korea,
and Japan. It will be noticed that the capture of these Ichang specimens
extends the range for some distance up the Yangtze beyond Hankow.
AVES.
BY JOHN E. THAYER AND OUTRAM BANGS.
This collection of birds numbers 3,135 beautifully prepared skins, belong-
ing to 358 species and subspecies. Considering the work that has been done
in this region during the last forty years the collection is rich in novelties. In a
preliminary paper — Descriptions of new birds from central China. Bull.
M. C. Z., 1909, 52, p. 139-141, — -we have already described eight new forms,
and now add one new genus, five new species, and seven new subspecies.
When Mr. Zappey started it was expected that a Chinaman, perhaps one
of the "shooting-men" trained by Mr. Styan, could aid in the collection and
preparation of skins, but unfortunately none was available and Mr. Zappey
did all the work himself, and deserves the greatest praise for his industry and
zeal.
Specimens of nearly all the species seen were secured. Swans, cranes,
and storks were now and then observed but were too shy to be shot with a
gun, and were most frequently in places where it was too dangerous to use a
rifle. The Solitary snipe, Gallinago solitaria, was seen on two occasions, one
being shot near Ichang the first year, but its condition was such that it could
not be preserved, and another flushed in the high grass lands of western Sze-
chwan when with a rifle Mr. Zappey was stalking sheep. Another bird, a green
pigeon, was seen twice, but was not taken. A flock of six or eight of these were
feeding in the low shrubbery at a great altitude in the mountains of western
Szechwan. They were very tame, but when approached to* within gun-shot
distance they were obscured by clouds and when the weather cleared the birds
had disappeared. The second flock was seen by Mr. Wilson near the same place
but when he was without a gun.
Time did not allow a visit to the Moupin district so famous, ornithologi-
cally, from the work done there by Pere David, while the high mountains about
Tachienlu, also a very famous region for birds, proved a great disappointment.
The Chinese as they have gradually wrested this country from the Zolo tribes-
men have burned the woods, reducing to ashes hundreds of miles of magnificent
coniferous forest. This probably accounts for the absence in this collection of
several of the species described from this region by Pere David, Oustalet, and
others. Of the places visited, one, the Washan mountains, nesds special men-
13S SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
tion. This high isolated range proved the richest field explored during the
whole trip, and most of the peculiar birds and mammals secured came from it.
It is to be regretted that so short a time, a few days in the spring and again a
few in autumn, could be spent there.
All the altitudes were taken by Mr. Zappey himself with an aneroid.
We have followed the systematic sequence of Sharpe's Hand list, but our
use of the 10th edition of Linn6's Systema will account for the difference in many
of the names employed. All measurements are in millimeters and the colors
according to Ridgway's nomenclature.
We have compared many of our specimens with material in the U. S.
national museum, and have received the constant aid and advice of Dr. Chas. W.
Richmond and Mr. Harry C. Oberholser to whom our sincere thanks are
tendered.
TETRAONIDAE.
TETRASTES SEVERTZOVI Prjevalsky.
Three specimens were taken in western Szechwan, an adult male, at Tachi-
enlu, 13,500 feet, July 9, 1907, an adult female and a young female about half
grown at Shuowlow, 14,000 feet, August 19, 1908.
PHASIANIDAE.
TETRAOPHASIS SZECHENYII Madarasz.
Seven specimens, six adults of both sexes and a half grown young male
|
were taken in western Szechwan, Ramala Pass, Shuowlow, and Nachuka,
in August, 1908, at altitudes ranging from 14,000 to 15,500 feet.
The young is very different in color-pattern from the adult, the plumage
of both upper and under parts being much marked and variegated with gray
and buff on a dark brown ground color, giving the young bird a grouse-like
appearance.
PERDIX HODGSONIAE SIFANICA Prjevalsky.
Five adults, both sexes, Tachienlu, Ramala Pass, and Lanerhyingpa,
western Szechwan, 11,000 to 15,000 feet, midsummer.
This form is certainly only a smaller and otherwise slightly different sub-
species of P. hodgsoniae. The principal color difference is that P. h. sifanica
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 139
lacks the black breast patch of true hodgsoniae; the other supposed color char-
acters appear to be very variable.
COTURNIX JAPONICA (Temminck & Schlegel).
Twenty specimens, both sexes, Ichang, and Changyanghsien, western Hupeh,
autumn, and April.
This series is entirely referable to this very distinct species. Some young
males have a little black on the throat, but they show the long lanceolate throat
feathers. Some young females show the elongate throat feathers very slightly,
but otherwise are exactly like more adult females that show this character very
plainly.
BAMBUSICOLA THORACICA (Temminck).
Four adult males, Kiating, Chungking, and Yachow, western Szechwan,
November, and December.
ITHAGENES GEOFFROYI Verreaux.
Eight specimens, seven adults of both sexes, and one young male less than
half grown were taken at Tachienlu, Tongolow, Shuowlow, Ramala Pass,
and Kaoerhshan, western Szechwan, at altitudes ranging from 12,000 to 15,500
feet, in July, and August.
The young male, Tachienlu, 12,000 feet, July 19, 1908, has the head and
nape blackish ashy, and the body feathers with conspicuous pale shaft-stripes;
the gray tail feathers and pointed red tail-coverts of the adult plumage are just
beginning to show.
ITHAGENES WILSONI, sp. nov.
Two adult males, Washan, western Szechwan, 9,000 feet altitude, No-
vember 2, 1908.
Type:— No. 52366 M. C. Z. adult <?. Western Szechwan: Washan Moun-
tain, 9,000 feet, November 2, 1908. W. R. Zappey.
Characters: — Similar in general to I. geoffroyi but about one third smaller.
In color the Washan bird does not differ radically from /. geoffroyi, though
there are some slight variances; the tail in /. wilsoni is rather darker ashy;
and the white shaft-lines on the back, scapulars, and upper tail-coverts are wider.
140 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
Measurements.
No. Sex. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Culmen.
523GG cT 169 123. 55. 21.
52367 d" 171 129. 58. 21.
In a series of four adult males of /. geoffroyi, the wing averages, 211, the
tail 167, the tarsus, 66, and the culmen 24.5.
We have named this little species after Mr. E. H. Wilson to whose energy
and executive ability much of the success of the Arboretum Expedition is due.
This species is entirely isolated in the Washan Mountain and apparently
is not common there. Mr. Zappey at the time of its capture noticed its small
size, and other differences separating it from I. geoffroyi which he had taken
at Tachienlu.
TRAGOPAN TEMMINCKI (J. E. Gray).
Three adults, two males, Fangshen, Hupeh, July, and one female from
Washan, western Szechwan, November.
CROSSOPTILTJN TIBETANUM (Hodgson).
Nine specimens, adults of both sexes and one young female about one third
grown, Cheto, Tachienlu, Shuowlow, and Tongolow, western Szechwan, 12,000
to 14,000 feet, midsummer.
PHASIANUS TORQUATTJS KIANGSUENSIS Buturlin.
Eight adult specimens, both sexes, Ichanghsien, Hsienshanhsien, Chang-
hsien, Kunganhsien, Hupeh. All were taken in winter except one taken in June.
PHASIANUS HOLDERERI Schalow.
Thirteen adult specimens both sexes Tawan, Changyanghsien, Hsien-
shan, Mafuling, Puerhyangtze, and Kwangpow, Hupeh, spring, summer,
autumn, and winter. Taken at altitudes ranging from 2,500 feet to 6,000 feet.
There can be no doubt as to the correct identification of these pheasants,
which occur so very near each other, in fact in the same general region, though
usually at different altitudes; and yet they hold their distinguishing characters
so constantly that there is not one in the series in the least degree intermediate.
Mr. Zappey tells us that in Hupeh, the habits of P. lorquatus kiangsuensis,
and P. holdereri are quite different. The former being almost wholly restricted,
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 141
at all seasons, to the low ground of the river bottoms or as he expressed it being
"semiaquatic," not only feeding and living in the wet marshes and rice-fields,
but "roosting there at night, sometimes in places where the water is part way
up its legs." He, however, took one male and two females in the upland country
at Hsienshanhsien.
Phasianus holdereri, which is rather the more abundant, is on the other
hand wholly a bird of the rolling upland country at altitudes ranging from 2,000
to 6,000 feet and probably even higher; it was never seen in the lowlands.
While thus apparently specifically distinct from P. torquatus, P. holdereri
is in all probability a subspecies of P. decolatus; the descriptions of P. berezow-
skyi Rothschild, suggesting strongly its relationship to decolatus on the one
side and to holdereri on the other.
The two species, with which we here deal, are easily separated in the adult
male plumage by the following characters.
P. HOLDERERI.
1 . White collar always narrow; commonly very incomplete; usually not, though
sometimes very narrowly connecting behind; sometimes altogether
wanting.
2. Head, with no distinct paler superciliaries; crown and occup concolor,
or very nearly so, with nape.
3. Wing-coverts, olive-gray.
4. Rump greener.
5. Black bands on tail wider.
6. Size a little larger.
P. KIANGSUENSIS.
1. White collar, always wide, always connecting behind.
2. Head with conspicuous whitish superciliaries; crown and occup much
duller, more brownish, than nape.
3. Wing-coverts ashy gray.
4. Rump grayer.
5. Black bands on tail narrower.
6. Size a little smaller.
The slight difference in size is the only character for the separation of the
females, and this while it gives good average differences in the two series before
142 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
us, is within the limit of failure, if one should have a single unusually large
specimen of one species, or a single unusually small one of the other.
Scores of pheasants of these two species were shot for food, and Mr. Zappey's
notes were based on infinitely more material, than the comparatively small
series made into skins. Transportation and space had constantly to be con-
sidered where large birds were concerned.
We cannot leave this subject without noticing Buturlin's Distribution of
the true pheasants (Ibis, July, 1904, ser. 8, 4, 377-414). For the systematic
part of this very convenient summary we have only praise. This author has
turned out a piece of work vastly better than that of any of his predecessors,
and has also clearly shown the number of recognizable races and species into
which pheasants in a state of undisturbed nature, divide and the very small
area usually occupied by each.
On points of synonymy however, he is in some cases, entirely in the wrong.
It would be, we admit, an easy way of avoiding difficulties if when with
adequate material a wide ranging, variable species is divided into its natural
subspecies, the names of early authors could be ignored. This high-handed
practice, however, can not be allowed. Buturlin disregards the fact that
Gmelin's name Phasianus torquatus for the collared pheasant of China was
quite adequate to Gmelin's time and must stand. P. torquatus torquates must
be used for some subspecies. We therefore use it for the one of southeastern
China, to which Buturlin gave the name P. holder -eri gmelini: — first, because
this was apparently the last race left without a name; secondly, because
Buturlin himself thinks it most probably the one to which Gmelin's name
was applied; and thirdly, because it was the form to which David and Oustalet
restricted the name.
Equally unpardonable on this author's part is his treatment of Phasianus
torquatus pallasi Rothschild. Later when ample material shows that an author
confused two or more forms under one name it is not customary to discredit the
earlier authors' species entirely, but to restrict his name to one of the forms.
PHASIANUS ELEGANS Elliot.
Eleven specimens, adults of both sexes and two small chicks, Washan,
Tachienlu, and Tashanling, western Szechwan, 6,000 to 10,000 feet, summer, and
autumn.
A female taken at Kiating in the lowlands of south central Szechwan,
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 143
December 14, 1908, Mr. Zappey thinks belongs to another species, possibly
P. dccollatus Swinhoe. Pheasants were very scarce at Kiating and the few
seen were very wild. He thought that the one or two males though observed
at a distance, were not the same as P. elegans which he had taken in the moun-
tains. The only difference we can see in the skin from Kiating is that it is a
little larger than females of P. elegans and has a slightly larger bill.
SYRMATICUS REEVESI (J. E. Gray).
Thirteen adults, both sexes, Kwangpow, Changyanghsien, Putze, and
Tawan, Hupeh, spring, autumn, and winter.
This magnificent game bird inhabits principally the oak belt on the moun-
tains at from 2,000 to 5,000 feet where it feeds upon acorns.
Some of the specimens taken are superb with absolutely perfect tails,
one measuring when stretched to its full length no less than six feet, nine and
three fourths inches.
CHRYSOLOPHUS PICTUS (Linne").
Seven specimens, adults of both sexes and one young male. Tawan,
Ichanghsien, Changyanghsien, and Kweichowhsien, Hupeh, winter, spring,
and autumn.
The Golden pheasant, though very common in these regions, is extremely
hard to shoot, as it keeps to the dense bamboo thickets, and refuses to take
wing even when hunted with a dog.
CHRYSOLOPHUS AMHERSTIAE Leadbeater.
Three adult males, Washan, and Wuyaling, western Szechwan at 8,000 feet,
May, and October.
TURNICIDAE.
TTJRNIX BLANFORDI Blyth.
Seven specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Hupeh, September, and October.
COLUMBIDAE.
COLUMBA LEUCONOTA Vigors.
Four specimens adults of both sexes, Tachienlu, Mohsimien, western
Szechwan, July, 1908. The Snow pigeon was constantly seen at altitudes
144 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
ranging from 7,500 to 12,500 feet and even higher, but on account of the nature
of the country it inhabits only four specimens were secured.
COLUMBA RUPESTRIS RUPESTRis Bonaparte.
Seven specimens, adults of both sexes, Washan, Tongolow, Waszekow,
Nachuka, western Szechwan, at altitudes ranging from 5,000 to 12,500 feet,
July, and August.
PERISTERIDAE.
TURTITR ORIENTALIS (Latham).
Sixteen specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Ichanghsien, Yangchaho, Changyang-
hsien, Ituhsien, Hsienshan, Hsienshanhsein, Mafuling, Shihtowya, and Fangshen,
Hupeh; Nachuka, Tachienlu, and Luitingchiao, Szechwan; all seasons and
altitudes up to 12,000 feet.
STREPTOPELIA DECAOCTA (Frivaldszky) .
Two adult males, Ichanghsien, Hupeh, February.
ONOPOPELIA HUMILIS (Temminck).
Twenty specimens, young and adult, both sexes, Ichang, Hupeh, and
Tachienlu, western Szechwan, spring, summer, and autumn.
SPILOPELIA CHINENSIS (Scopoli).
Twelve specimens, young and adult, both sexes, Ichang, and Kunganhsien,
Hupeh; Kiating, and Omeihsien Szechwan; spring, summer, and autumn.
RALLIDAE.
RALLUS AQUATICUS KOREJEWI Saruduy.
Plate 3, fig. 1.
One adult male, in full spring plumage, Ichanghsien, Hupeh, March 8,
1908.
Our skin agrees exactly in every detail, with the description of this strongly
marked subspecies; the record, however, greatly extends its range.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 145
RALLUS INDICUS Blyth.
One immature female Ichang, Hupeh, September 16, 1907.
HYPOTAENIDIA STRIATA (Linn<?).
One youngish female, Ichang, Hupeh, September 18, 1907.
PORZANA AURICULARIS Reichenow.
Three males, none in fully adult plumage, Ichang, Hupeh, September
and October.
PORZANA BICOLOR Walden.
Two adult males, Washan, western Szechwan, May 29, and June 7, 1908,
6,000 feet.
This rail was not uncommon on the Washan Mountains where it was
breeding; it proved very hard to shoot, and although two nests were found,
one with six the other with five eggs, the parent birds were not secured. A
bird was seen, as it left its nest and five eggs, and positively identified as
belonging to this species. Both nests, one taken May 30, the other June 5
were found in small reedy islands in mountain streams.
ORTYGOPS EXQUISITA (Swinhoe).
One adult female, Luchow, central Szechwan, April 26, 1908.
LIMNOBAENUS FUSCUS (Linn6).
One adult male, Ichang, Hupeh, July 8, 1907.
AMAURORNIS PHOENICURA (Forster).
Twenty-one specimens, adults of both sexes, and six little wholly black
chicks July 21, Ichang, Hupeh, spring, summer, and autumn.
GALLINULA CHLOROPUS ORIENTALIS Horsfield.
One adult male, Ichang, Hupeh, June 17, 1907.
GALLICREX CINEREA (Gmelin).
Three specimens, an adult male, a young male, and a young female the
young in the brown plumage, Ichang, Hupeh, July, September, and October.
146 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
COLYMBIDAE.
COLYMBUS CRISTATUS Linn<3.
One male, in winter plumage, Chachianghsien, western Szechwan, Decem-
ber 7, 1908.
TACHYBAPTUS RUFICOLLIS POGGEI (Reichenow).
Two adult females, Ichang, Hupeh, September, and October.
The collection of the Museum of Comparative Zoology contains also two
fine adults, <? and 9 , from Pekin. These specimens indicate that the slight
characters that distinguish the Chinese form from true T. ruficollis (Pallas)
and T. r. philippensis (Bonnaterre) are not wholly constant, and the subspecies
is certainly not a strongly marked one.
LARIDAE.
STERNA SINENSIS Gmelin.
Seven specimens, adults of both sexes, Luchow, and Kiating, Szechwan,
April, and May.
LARUS RIDIBUNDUS Linne".
Four specimens, three adults of both sexes in winter plumage and one
immature female, Ichang, and Changhsien, Hupeh, February, and March.
LARUS AFFINIS Reinhardt.
One female, immature, in probably its second year, Chachianghsien, western
Szechwan, December 7, 1908.
LARUS CANUS Linne".
One immature female, Yachow, western Szechwan, December 5, 1908.
CHARADRIIDAE.
MICROSARCOPS CINEREUS (Blyth).
Three specimens, two adult females and a youngish male, Ichang, Hupeh,
March, and October.
VANELLUS VANELLUS (Linne1).
Five specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Hupeh and Chiachianghsien, Kiating,
Kungyahsien, and Omeihsien, Szechwan, autumn, and winter.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 147
CHARADRIUS DOMINICUS FULVUS (Gmelin).
Two females, Ichang, Hupeh, October.
OCHTHODROMUS VEREDUS (Gould).
One female, Lochichen, eastern Szechwan, April 10, 1908.
AEGIALITIS PLACIDA (Gray).
Twenty-six specimens, both sexes, Ichang, and Lanjung, Hupeh, and Nan-
chihsien, Suifu, Kiating, Changshowhsien, Hochianghsien, and Chiachianghsien,
Szechwan, autumn, and spring, some as late as May 5.
AEGIALITIS DUBIA (Scopoli).
Nine specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Hupeh, and Hochianghsien, Chiang-
chinghsien, Chungking, and Luchow, Szechwan, March, April, and October.
AEGIALITIS ALEXANDRINA (Linne").
One female, in winter plumage, Ichang, Hupeh, October 10, 1907.
This is, of course, Ae. alexandrina dealbata (Swinhoe) if that race is recogniz-
able, which does not seem to be the case.
IBIDORHYNCHUS STRUTHERSI Vigors.
Five specimens, adults of both sexes, Yachow, Chiachianghsien, and Shuow-
low, western Szechwan, summer, and autumn.
TOTANUS ERYTHROPUS (Pallas).
Four females, Ichang, Changkow, Hupeh, October, and February.
HELODROMAS OCHROPUS (Linne").
Twenty-four specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Ichanghsien, and Changhsien,
Hupeh, and Luchow, Washan, Dar-chi-kwan, Omeihsien, and Kiating, Szechwan,
all seasons. May 5 is the latest date in spring on which a Green sandpiper
was taken and July 8 is the earliest summer date.
ACTITIS HYPOLEUCUS (Linn4).
Seven specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Hupeh, and Omeihsien, Chiachiangh-
sien, and Shuowlow, Szechwan, autumn, and spring.
148 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
GLOTTIS NEBULARIUS (Gunnerus).
Seven specimens, both sexes, Ichang, and Changkow, Hupeh, and Elating,
and Chiachianghsien, Szechwan, autumn, and winter.
RHYACOPHILUS GLAREOLA (Gmelin).
One adult female, Yachiakun, western Szechwan, 13,000 feet, July 14, 1908.
PISOBIA DAMACENSIS (Horsfield).
One male, Ichang, Hupeh, October 22, 1907.
PISOBIA TEMMINCKI (Leisler).
Three females, Ichang, Hupeh, and Luchow, central Szechwan, April.
PELIDNA ALPINA SAKHALINA (Vieillot).
Two females, Ichang, Hupeh, October.
GALLINAGO STENURA (Ruhl).
Twelve specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Hupeh, August, September, and
April.
GALLINAGO MEGALA Swinhoe.
Ten specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Hupeh, August, and April.
GALLINAGO GALLINAGO (Linne).
Eleven specimens, Ichang, Hupeh, September, November, March, and
April.
SCOLOPAX RUSTICULA Linne".
Fourteen specimens both sexes Ichang, Ituhsien, Nochaping, and Kwangpow,
Hupeh, and Kiatung, and Chichiang, Szechwan, autumn, winter, and spring.
ROSTRATTJLA CAPENSis (Linne').
Nine specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Hupeh, September, and October.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 149
CURSORIIDAE.
GLAREOLA MALDIVARUM (Forster).
Twenty-six specimens, both sexes, Kiating, Nichichang, Suifu, and Kung-
yahsien, Szechwan. All taken early in May, except one pair shot at Kungyah-
sien, June 21, 1908. The lateness of this date indicates that the bird breeds in
this region.
ARDEIDAE.
ARDEA CINEREA JOUYI Clark.
\
Twenty-one specimens, young and adult of both sexes, Ichang, Hupeh,
and Tachienlu, Chiachianghsien, and Chungchowhsien, Szechwan, all seasons.
From a large colony that was nesting in a grove surrounding a temple at
Chungchowhsien Mr. Zappey secured on April 5, 1908, a fine series of birds in
full nuptial plumage.
On comparing this large series with a number of skins from Europe, the pale
colors of the eastern bird stand out in marked contrast and the race is easily
recognizable.
MESOPHOYX INTERMEDIA (Wagler).
One male, in winter plumage without plumes and with a black tip to the
bill, Ichang, Hupeh, October 9, 1907.
HERODIAS ALBA (Linne").
One adult male, M. C. Z. No. 52976, with the dorsal plumes fully developed,
but with a yellow bill, Ichang, Hupeh, February 24, 1909.
From the large size of this specimen (surpassing most European skins) it
seems impossible to refer it to N. timoriensis (Lesson), although it has light
colored tibiae and a yellow bill at a time when the dorsal plumes are developed.
It is of course possible that the dorsal plumes were carried over from the last
breeding season, and that the bill would change to black.
The measurements are: — wing, 448.; tail 175; tarsus, 198.; culmen, 138.
GARZETTA GARZETTA (Linn6).
Nine specimens, adults of both sexes, Chichiang, Minchihsien, Yachow,
and Kungyahsien, Szechwan, June, October, November, and December.
150 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
NYCTICORAX NYCTICORAX NYCTICORAX (Linne").
•
Nine specimens, young and adults, both sexes, Hupeh and Changshowhsien,
eastern Szechwan, spring, and summer.
BUTORIDES JAVANICA JAVANICA (Horsfield).
•
Three specimens, adults of both sexes, Ichang, Hochiaping, and Yangchia-
tamiao, Hupeh, spring, and summer.
.
ORDEOLA BACCHUS (Bonaparte).
Seventeen specimens, young and adults of both sexes, Ichang, and Hungtze-
kow, Hupeh, and Omeihsien, and Chiachianghsien, western Szechwan, spring,
summer, and autumn.
BTJBULCTJS COROMANDUS (Boddaert).
Eleven specimens, young and adults of both sexes, Hungyahsien, and
Omeihsien, western Szechwan, summer, and autumn.
IXOBRYCHUS SINENSIS (Gmelin).
Two males, Ichang, Hupeh, September, and October.
NANNOCNUS EURYTHMTJS (Swinhoe).
Eighteen specimens, young and adults of both sexes, Ichang, Hupeh, and
Washan, and Omeihsien, western Szechwan, summer, and autumn.
DUPETOR FLAVICOLLIS (Latham).
One young female Ichang, Hupeh, October 3, 1907.
BOTAURUS STELLARIS (Linne").
Seven specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Kunganhsien, Hupeh, and Chang-
showhsien, Szechwan, autumn, and winter.
These specimens show as is usually the case in a series of skins of the bittern,
that there is considerable variation in size and that while the females are smaller
than the males, individual variation is still very great.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 151
ANATIDAE.
MELANONYX SEGETUM SERRIROSTRIS (Swinhoe).
Three specimens, all youngish, one male and two females, Shasi, Hupeh,
and Changshowhsien, Szechwan, February.
Immense numbers of geese were seen in the low country but they were
extremely wary, and a rifle could not be used on account of the dense popula-
tion. Other species, as well as swans, were seen.
ANAS PLATYRHYNCHOS Linn6.
Sixteen specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Kunganhsien, Hsienshanhsien,
Hupeh, and Kiating, Washan, Kungyahsien, Chiachianghsien, and Yachow,
Szechwan, taken throughout the winter, November to March.
POLIONETTA ZONORHYNCHA (Swinhoe).
Eleven specimens, both sexes Kiating, Kungyahsien, Chiachiang, and
Yachow, western Szechwan, all taken in December.
MARCEA PENELOPE (LinnS).
Two males, one in immature the other in full adult plumage, Kiating, and
Washan, western Szechwan, October, and December. '
NETTION FORMOSUM (Georgi).
One adult female, Ichang, Hupeh, November 26, 1907.
NETTION CRECCA (Linne").
Twenty-one specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Changyanghsien, Shasi, and
Yangtze near Shasi, Hupeh, and Yachow, Kiating, Kungyahsien, and Washan,
Szechwan, taken throughout the winter from October to March.
DAFILA ACUTA (Linn6).
One female, Washan, western Szechwan, 6,000 feet, October 25, 1908.
QUERQUEDULA QUERQUEDULA (Linne").
Five specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Hupeh, and Washan, western Szechwan,
October.
152 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
Many of the Anatidae taken by Mr. Zappey are more or less colored a
rusty red on the underparts; this is due to some extraneous stain obtained from
the water and while all the specimens taken near Ichang are comparatively
free from discoloration all those taken in small streams and ponds at higher alti-
tudes are similarly discolored.
NETTA RUFINA (Pallas).
One very fine adult male in full plumage, Kiating, western Szechwan,
November 22, 1908.
MARILA FERINA (Linne').
One adult male, Kiating, western Szechwan, November 22, 1908.
MARILA FULIGULA (Linn6).
Four males, none in full adult plumage, Ichang, Hupeh, and Kiating, west-
ern Szechwan, November.
CLANGULA CLANGULA CLANGULA (Linn6).
One adult male, Yachow, western Szechwan, December 5, 1908.
MERGELLUS ALBELLUS (Linne").
«
Two specimens, male and female, the male in eclipse plumage similar to
that of the female, Ichang, Hupeh, November, and December.
MERGUS MERGANSER MERGANSER Linne".
Four specimens, adults of both sexes, Ichang, Hupeh, and Kiating, Szechwan,
December, and January.
It is of course problematical where these birds were bred and they perhaps
should all be referred to M. m. comatus, rather than to M. m. merganser, all
being smaller than European specimens. In the slight color differences, and
the character of the crest of the male, they are more or less intermediate though
on the whole nearer to true M. m. merganser.
MERGUS MERGANSER COMATUS (Salvadori).
Two specimens, male and female adult, Kungyahsien, western Szechwan,
December 6, 1908.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 153
These skins are certainly referable to this subspecies; both are small and
show all the characters of the Himalayan goosander.
They afford the following measurements:—
No. 52943, adult <?, wing, 269; culmen, 54; tarsus, 45.
No. 52944, adult 9, wing, 253; culmen, 46; tarsus, 41.
MERGUS SQUAMATUS Gould.
Six specimens, two adult males, three adult females and one young male.
Ichang, Hupeh, and Yachow, Kiating, and Kungyahsien, Szechwan, November
and December. The young male has the sides, lower back, and rump as in the
adult, except that the squamatulations are not so black or so pronounced; the
upper back is gray and the head is rusty, like that of the female, but paler and
with no white on the throat; the crest, however, is nearly as long as in the
adult.
This Merganser has been a very rare bird in collections; and for a long time
was known only from the type, an immature male. Ogilvie-Grant, recently
described, and figured for the first time, the adult male and female (Ibis, 1900,
ser. 7, 6, p. 602, pi. 12).
PHALACROCORACIDAE.
PHALACROCORAX CARBO (Linne).
Five specimens, adults in non-breeding plumage and one young female,
Kiating, and Yachow, western Szechwan, December.
These skins belong to the smaller, small-billed oriental race, which if recog-
nized would probably bear the name, Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis Shaw and
Nodd; the series of skins we have examined is not sufficient in numbers or in
the range of the species to enable us to decide; Indian and Chinese birds are how-
ever noticeably small.
FALCONIDAE.
CIRCUS CYANEUS (Linne").
Four specimens, two adult males, one female and one young male, Ichang,
Ichanghsien, Changkowhsien, and Ituhsien, Hupeh, winter (November 20 to
February 18).
CIRCUS SPILONOTUS Kaup.
One male, not fully adult, Shihtowya, Hupeh, April 18, 1907.
154 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
ASTUR PALUMBARIUS KHAMENSIS Bianchi.
Two specimens, male and female both in immature plumage, Ichang,
Hupeh, November 20, 1907, and Ramala Pass, western Szechwan, 13,500 feet,
August 11, 1908.
We are not positive that birds in immature plumage can be distinguished
from the young of true A. palumbarius ; our skin from the Ramala Pass is, on
geographical grounds, khamensis, and the female in similar plumage, from
Ichang, agrees exactly with it, so that we refer both to the same form. An
additional reason for doing so is that the sparrow hawk of our region (also
originally described by Bianchi from eastern Tibet) ranges east to Ichang.
ASTUR SOLOENSIS (Latham).
Two males, one adult, one immature, Ichang, and Ichanghsien, Hupeh,
June 10, and August 26, 1907.
If A. soloensis and A. cuculoides (Temminck) are distinct and not individual
extremes of coloration of one species then the adult male before us is an inter-
mediate, about as well referred to one as to the other.
ACCIPITER NISUS LODYGINI Bianchi.
Eighteen specimens, young and adults of both sexes, Ichang, and Chang-
yanghsien, Hupeh, and Washan, Kiating, Nichichang, Kungyahsien, and Dar-
chi-kwan, western Szechwan, all seasons.
While our skins agree exactly with Bianchi's description, we have not been
able to examine a specimen of A. melanoschistus Hume, and Bianchi makes no
mention of that form, which by description would seem to be very similar to
the Tibetan-central China sparrow hawk.
It is not easy to separate young birds of this subspecies from true A. nisus
in corresponding stages of plumage, but there is no difficulty whatever in dis-
tinguishing adult males; the dark slaty black back and preponderance of rufous
on the underparts is very different from the gray back and pale underparts of
A. nisus nism.
Birds killed in the neighborhood of Ichang are quite as extreme as those
from western Szechwan which is in the same general faunal region as Kham,
Tibet, the type locality; the subspecies thus has a wide range. Specimens from
near Pekin are very pale and quite different from the bird of our region.
As illustrative of the fierceness of this little hawk, Mr. Zappey states that
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 155
on February 3, 1909 at Changyanghsien, he wounded a Golden pheasant, when
immediately an adult male sparrow hawk dashed upon it, killed, and began
devouring it.
ACCIPITER GULARIS (Temminck & Schlegel).
One immature female, Ichang, Hupeh, September 15, 1907.
BUTEO BUTEO PLUMIPES (Hodgson).
Five specimens both sexes, only one male in uniform chocolate-brown
plumage (the fully adult dress?). Ichang, and Changkowhsien, Hupeh, and
Washan, Szechwan, winter, and spring.
GYPAETUS BARBATTJS (Linn6).
One male, Ichang, November 20, 1907. The Lammergeier was not uncom-
mon, but it was almost impossible to kill one with a charge of shot, and to use
a rifle was generally out of the question.
•
MILVUS MELANOTIS Temminck & Schlegel.
Seven specimens, young and adults, both sexes, Ichang, and Changyang-
hsien, Hupeh, and Minchihsien, Washan, and Kiating, Szechwan, autumn, and
winter.
FALCO PEREGRINUS ATRICEPS Hume.
Two specimens, an adult female, Wushanhsien, eastern Szechwan, March 26,
and an immature male Ichang, Hupeh, June 28.
FALCO AESALON Turnstall.
One immature male, Ichanghsien, Hupeh, February 10, 1909.
CERCHNEIS SATURATA (Blyth).
Six specimens, adults of both sexes and immature males, Ichang, Hupeh,
and Wushanhsien, and Washan, Szechwan, autumn, and spring.
STRIGIDAE.
Asio OTUS (Linne").
Two specimens, both males, Ichanghsien, and Changyanghsien, Hupeh,
November 16, 1907, and March 14, 1908.
156 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
Asio FLAMMEUS (Pontoppidan) .
Three specimens, both sexes, Ichang, and Shasi, Hupeh, February 5, and
May 1.
BUBO BUBO SETSCHUANUS Reichenow.
One female, Ichang, Hupeh, October 23, 1907.
OTUS SEMITORQUES PLUMiPES (Hume).
Two adults, male and female, Hsienshan, and Changyanghsien, Hupeh,
June 4, 1907, and January 29, 1909.
These specimens have feathered toes, and seem to agree in every way with
the descriptions of the Himalayan form of the Japanese Otus semitorques. How-
ever we have seen no Himalayan specimens.
Our d", No. 53060, M. C. Z. has the wing, 163. mm. long, and the 9 , No.
53061, M. C. Z. has the wing, 177. mm. long.
STRIX NIVICOLA (Hodgson).
One adult male, Washan, western Szechwan, 8,000 feet, November 1, 1908.
STRIX DAVIDI (Sharpe).
One adult 9 , Shuowlow, western Szechwan, 14,000 feet, August 19, 1908.
GLAUCIDIUM WHITELYI (Swinhoe).
Twenty-one specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Kwatzeling, Changyanghsien,
and Ituhsien, Hupeh, and Chiachianghsien, Omeihsien, Kiating, Luchow,
Kungyahsien, and Yachow, Szechwan, all seasons.
PSITTACIDAE.
PALAEORNIS DERBYANA SALVADORII Oustalet.
Seven specimens, two adult males, two adult females, and three young
males, Nachuka, western Szechwan, 10,000 to 12,000 feet, August, 1908.
This parrot is apparently rare and local. Mr. Zappey found it, in small
numbers, only, at one or two places, where he was so unfortunate as to lose
several fine adults, that when shot fell over cliffs into inaccessible ravines.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 157
The differences in color that were at one time (see Ogilvie-Grant, Ibis,
1900, ser. 7, 6, p. 600) thought to distinguish P. derbyana Fraser from P. sal-
vadorii Oustalet are sexual, males have bright red upper mandibles, no brownish
mark across the neck, and lavender-blue underparts; females have black
upper mandibles, a brownish purple marking crossing the side of the neck, and
lavender-lilac underparts.
Young males have red bills, the inner edges of their primaries are yellow-
ish green, their tails are short and their underparts, crowns, and under wing-
coverts are mostly green.
Rothschild (Bull. B. O. C., 1899, 8, p. Ivi) considers it best until the
original locality of P. derbyana is known to recognize P. salvadorii as a sub-
species on account of its apparently smaller size. Our two adult males have
the wing 216 and 218 mm. and the two adult females, 210 and 213 mm.
CORACIIDAE.
EURYSTOMUS CALONYX Sharpe.
Five adults, both sexes, Fangshen, and Shuiyuehtze, Hupeh, May.
ALCEDINIDAE.
CERYLE LUGUBRIS GUTTULATA Stejneger.
Nine specimens, adults of both sexes, Ichang, Changyanghsien, and Hsien-
shanhsien, Hupeh, and Hungyahsien, Szechwan, autumn, and winter.
ALCEDO ISPIDA BENGALENSIS (Gmelin).
Twenty-three specimens, both sexes-, Ichang, Hupeh, and Kiating, and
Luchow, Szechwan, all seasons.
HALCYON PILEATUS (Boddaert).
Five adults, both sexes, Ichang, Ichanghsien, Yangchiatamiao, and Hsien-
shanshan, Hupeh, May, June, September, and October.
UPUPIDAE.
UPUPA EPOPS SATURATUS Lonnberg.
Twelve specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Hupeh, and Shuowlow, Foochow,
Nachuka, and Tongolow, Szechwan. Taken in January, February, March,
158 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
April, and August. It is thus not certain that any of these were birds that
would breed in the region. All are referable to this lately described form,
the best character of which, as compared with European skins is the conspicu-
ously darker interscapular region.
CAPRIMULGID.E.
CAPKIMULGUS INDICUS JOTAKA Temminck & Schlegel.
One young male (in plumage not unlike that of the adult female), Ichang,
Hupeh, September 13, 1907.
MICROPODIDAE.
COLLOCALIA INOPINA iNOPiNA Thayer & Bangs.
The type from Mafuling, Hupeh, taken June 1, 1907, was the only example
of this form secured; others, however, were seen in the same general region.
COLLOCALIA INOPINA PELLOS, sub. sp. nov.
Type:— No. 52131 M. C. Z. adult d% Western Szechwan: Washan, 6,000
feet, May 31, 1908. W. R. Zappey.
Characters: — Similar to true C. inapina from Hupeh, and of the same size,
but upper surface darker, more sooty, less brownish, and more uniform, — the
rump scarcely paler than the back.
Measurements: — Type, adult male, wing, 135; tail, 59; tarsus, 11.5;
culmen, 5. Topotype, adult 9, No. 52125, wing, 134; tail, 60; tarsus, 12;
culmen, 5.
Remarks: — Thirteen specimens of this form were secured at Chungchow-
hsien, and Washan, Szechwan, where it was fairly common, in April and May.
It appears to be easily distinguished from its more eastern representative, true
C. inopina, by its much darker, more sooty, and uniformly colored back,
without paler rump.
COLLOCALIA FUCIPHAGA CAPNITIS Thayer & Bangs.
Bull. M. C. Z., May, 1909, 52, p. 139.
One adult male, the type, Wantaoshan, Hupeh, June 5, 1907. But one
specimen of this much smaller bird (the wing 10 mm. shorter than in C. inopina)
was taken.
. THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 159
CHAETURA CAUDACUTA (Latham).
One male, Ichang, Hupeh, October 19, 1907.
CHAETURA NUDIPES Hodgson.
Two adult males in full spring plumage, Hokow, western Szechwan, May 4,
1908.
APUS PACIFICUS (Latham).
Thirteen specimens, adults of both sexes, Waszekow, Wuyaling, and Tach-
ienlu, western Szechwan, summer, and autumn.
CUCULIDAE.
HlEROCOCCYX SPARVEROIDES (Vigors).
Two adult males, Luchow, and Hochinghsien, Szechwan, April, 1908.
CUCULUS MICROPTERUS MICROPTERUS Gould.
One male, not quite adult, Ichang, Hupeh, July 19, 1907.
CUCULUS CANORUS TELEPHC-Nus Heine.
Ten specimens, young and adults of both sexes, Ichang, Fanghsien, and
Hsientientze, Hupeh, and Washan, Szechwan, spring, summer, and autumn.
CUCULTJS OPTATUS Gould.
Three specimens, females — two adults and one young. Tachienlu, western
Szechwan, July, and August, 1908.
CUCULUS INTERMEDIUS INTERMEDIUS Vahl.
Four adults, both sexes, Washan, and Tachienlu, western Szechwan, May,
June, and July.
CHALCOCOCCYX MACULA TUS (Gmelin).
Three adult males, Hsienshanhsien, and Hsientientze, Hupeh, May, and
June.
EUDYNAMIS HONORATA (Linn6).
Four adults, both sexes, Ichanghsien, Hsienshanshan, and Hsienshan,
Hupeh, and Chiachianghsien, western Szechwan, May, and June.
160 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
PICIDAE.
Picus CANUS GUERINI (Malherbe) .
Thirty-six specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Ichanghsien, Changyanghsien,
Hochaping, Yangtze near Shasi, Kunganhsien, Ituhsien, Putze, Hsienshan,
Omeihsien, Shaiyiiehtze, and Hsienshanhsien, Hupeh, and Cheto, western
Szechwan, all seasons.
Not one of these numerous skins , can be referred to Picus occipitalis (Vigors)"
though many approach it. Two skins from Cheto, for instance that on geo-
graphic grounds might be expected to be occipitalis have the completely barred
tail of guerini, but they also have almost wholly black bills, the yellowish
green of the lower mandible, so conspicuous in P. guerini, being restricted
to a small spot near the base. Other specimens from Hupeh, occasionally
show almost wholly black tails, but invariably have the yellowish lower man-
dible; and there is not one in the series that combines the black unbarred tail
with the black bill.
HYPOPICUS HYPERYTHRUS suBRUFiNus (Cabanis & Heine).
Two adults, male and female, Tachienlu, July 7, 1908, and Nochiang-
hsien, Szechwan, April 23, 1908. •
This species is very rare in the region under consideration; one other
individual was shot but not secured.
DRYOBATES CABANISI CABANISI (Malherbe).
Thirty-six specimens, young and adults of both sexes, Ichang, Hsienshan-
hsien, Chiliping, Shihtowya, Changkowhsien, Ituhsien, Changyanghsien, and
Ichanghsien, Hupeh, and Wulungshih, Shuowlow, and the Ramala Pass, Sze-
chwan, all seasons. No variation in any way correlated to altitude or locality
in this large series can be traced; skins from Ichang being, on the whole,
similar to those from western Szechwan at 15,000 feet. Individual variation
in the color of the under parts, the color and width of the frontal band, the in-
tensity of the red of the belly and under tail-coverts, and other minor points,
is very great. The white marking, on the inner secondaries also varies some-
what.
DRYOBATES PERNYI PERNYI (Verreaux).
Two adults, a male taken at Changyanghsien, Hupeh, January 24, 1909,
and a female shot at Wantaoshan, Hupeh, June 5, 1907.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 161
Styan (Ibis), has already commented on the great rarity of this species,
to which we can only add Mr. Zappey's experience, who in two years of active
field work saw but these two individuals.
PICOIDES FUNEBRIS Verreaux.
One male, Shuowlow, western Szechwan, 14,500 feet, August 23, 1908.
This bird, a young male of the year, was moulting from the nestling plum-
age, to that of the adult.
During his whole stay in western Szechwan Mr. Zappey had hunted the
high coniferous forest for this species, but until the above mentioned date his
efforts were fruitless. On August 23, however, the pounding of a woodpecker
in the dense firs attracted his attention and later he discovered two three-toed
woodpeckers. Although Mr. Zappey waited a long time that both might be
secured at one shot he was obliged to select one; thorough search failed to re-
discover the second.
YlJNGIPICUS SCINTILLICEPS SCINTILLICEPS (Swhlhoe).
Twenty-nine specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Hsientientze, Hsienshanhsien,
Kwatzeling, Shihtowya, and Changyanghsien, Hupeh, all seasons.
PlCUMNUS INNOMINATUS CHINENSIS (Hargitt).
One adult female, Changyanghsien, Hupeh, November 13, 1907.
HIRUNDINIDAE.'
HlRTJNDO URBICA CASHMERIENSIS (Gould).
Twenty-one specimens, adults of both sexes, Washan, and Tsaikow, western
Szechwan, summer.
RIPARIA RIPARIA (Linne").
Two specimens, a male taken at Juchi, Szechwan, April 20, 1908, and a
female from Washan, Szechwan May 30, 1908. Probably both these birds
were migrants, the one killed May 30, being in company with a number of
migrating Chelidon tytleri.
RIPARIA FOLKIENENSIS LaTouche.
Thirteen specimens, young and adults of both sexes Ichang, Hupeh, and
Changshowhsien, Wanhsien, Luchow, and Foochow, eastern Szechwan, spring,
162 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
summer, and autumn. This very distinct species, easily separated from R.
riparia by its small size, pale coloring, and short tail, seems to be the breeding
form of Hupeh and eastern Szechwan. The eggs must occasionally be laid very
early in the season, as Mr. Zappey took one nearly full grown young bird on
the wing at Wanhsien April 2. Others of about the same size and in similar
plumage were secured at Ichang on June 18.
RIPARIA RXJPESTRIS (Scopoli).
Three adult males, Waliangping, and Waszekow, western Szechwan, October.
CHELIDON RUSTICA GUTTURALIS (Scopoli).
Twenty-one specimens young and adult of both sexes Ichang, Hupeh, and
Foochow, Luchow, Changyanghsien, Juchi, Chiangchinghsien, and Hochiang-
hsien, Szechwan, spring, and summer.
CHELIDON TYTLERI (Jerdon).
Five adults, both sexes, Washan, Szechwan, May 30, 1908. This species
was seen on this one occasion only. They were part of a migrating flock and
were feeding throughout a valley (6,000 feet) ; they had disappeared the following
day.
CHELIDON DAURICA NIPALENSIS (Hodgson).
Twenty-three specimens, young and adult, both sexes, Ichang, Hupeh, and
Luchow, Chinchihsien, and Lochichen, Szechwan, spring, summer, and autumn.
MUSCICAPIDAE.
HEMICHELIDON SIBIRICA Gmelin.
One adult male, Ichang, October 10, 1907.
HEMICHELIDON FULIGINOSA Hodgson.
Five specimens, adult male and female, and three young in nestling plumage,
western Szechwan, August 10-18, 1908: Nachuka, 11,000 feet, Shuowlow,
12,500 feet, and Ramala Pass, 12,000 feet.
ARIZELOMYIA LATIROS TRIS (Raffles).
One adult male, Pootung, Hupeh, May 20, 1907.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 163
SlPHIA ALBICILLA (Pallas).
Five specimens, both sexes, Ichang, and Mafuling, Hupeh, and Omeihsien,
Szechwan, May, and October.
SlPHIA STROPHIATA HodgSOH.
Two males, Lianghokow, western Szechwan, 12,000 feet, September.
In one of these, in fully adult plumage, the usual crescent of rufous on the chest
is replaced with feathers with white bases. This specimen is probably abnormal.
CYORNIS TICKELLIAE GLAUCICOMANS Thayer & Bangs.
Bull. M. C. Z., May, 1909, 62, p. 141.
Two adult males, one, the type, from Tanshuiya, Hupeh, May 7, 1907, the
other from Hsienshan, Hupeh, June 4, 1907.
DlGENEA LEUCOMELANURA CERVINIVENTRIS Sharpe.
One male, Washan, June 3, 1908. This was one of a pair that was evi-
dently nesting among the moss-covered rocks of the mountain side; Mr. Zappey
was unable to find the nest.
NILTAVA LYCHNIS Thayer & Bangs.
Bull. M. C. Z., May, 1909, 52, p. 141.
Plate 3, fig. 2.
The type, an adult male taken at Patung, Hupeh, May 19, 1907, was the
only example seen during the trip.
PALIOMYIAS HODGSON: (Verreaux).
Three adult males, Nachuka, Wulungshih, and Ramala Pass, western
Szechwan, 12,000 to 15,000 feet, August.
XANTHOPYGIA XANTHOPYGIA (A. Hay).
Four specimens, two adult males, an adult female and one male in the spotted
nestling plumage, Ichang, Hupeh, and Kungyahsien, Szechwan, June, and July.
CYANOPTILA CUMATILIS Thayer & Bangs.
Bull. M. C. Z., May, 1909, 62, p. 141.
Eight specimens, adults of both sexes, Mafuling, Hsientientze, and Fang-
shen, Hupeh, May, and June.
164 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
This very distinct species, is quite different from C. bella (A. Hay) of Japan
and Corea; where found it was not an uncommon breeding bird, though proba-
bly very local in its distribution.
TARSIGER CHRYSAEUS Hodgson.
Five specimens, adults of both sexes and young, Washan, Yachiakun,
Tachiao, and Lianghokow, western Szechwan at altitudes, ranging from
10,000 to 12,000 feet, June, July, and September.
TCHITREA INCEI (Gould).
Twenty-two specimens, adults and young of both sexes, Ichang, Ichang-
hsien, Hsienshan, and Suichanping, Hupeh, and Omeihsien, Szechwan, May to
October.
Of the old males with very long tails two are pied, maroon and white; the
plumage of about half of the others is in the white phase, the remainder in the
maroon phase.
CULICICAPA CEYLONENSIS (Swainson):
Five specimens, four adults of both sexes and one nestling, Tanshuiya,
Hupeh, and Chungchowhsien, Luluping, and Minchihsien, Szechwan, April,
May, and June.
CRYPTALOPHA BURKII VALENTINI Hartert.
Eight specimens, adults of both sexes, Hsientientze, Mafuling, Chetzekow,
Hsienshan, and Hsienyuehtze, Hupeh, May, and June.
The color characters attributed this form by its describer do not hold in
our series — some breeding males having the head-stripes pure gray, while
with others there is considerable olive-green mixed with the gray. The wing,
however, is much shorter than in C. burkii iephrocephala of the west — in six
adult males varying from 55 to 57 mm. in length.
CRYPTO LOPHA BURKII TEPHROCEPHALA (Anderson).
One adult male, Ramala Pass, western Szechwan, 12,000 feet, August 26.
This specimen has the wing 62 mm. in length.
CRYPTOLOPHA SINENSIS Rickett.
One adult male, Hsientientze, Hupeh, June 3, 1907.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 165
ABRORNIS FULVIFACIES Swinhoe.
Nine adults, both sexes, Kiating, Nanchihsien, and Chiangchinghsien,
Szechwan, April, November, and December.
EUMYIAS MELANOPS (Vigors).
Five adults, both sexes, Mafuling, and Hsientientze, Hupeh, and Chin-
shihsien, Szechwan, May, and June.
CAMPEPHAGIDAE.
VOLVOCIVORA MELANOPTERA (Ruppell).
Thirteen specimens, adults of both sexes, and one young female in spotted
plumage, Ichang, Mafuling, Peiyangsze, Hsienshan, and Shinshenshan, Hupeh,
May, June, and July.
PERICROCOTUS BREVIROSTRIS (Vigors).
Seven specimens, adults of both sexes, Hsienshan, Chetzekow, Wansonshan,
and Showlungtu, Hupeh, and Wulungshih, western Szechwan, spring, and
summer.
PERICROCOTUS CANTONENSIS (Swinhoe).
Eight adults, both sexes, Mafuling, Hupeh, and Luchow, Suifu, and Hoch-
inghsien, Szechwan, spring, and summer.
PYCNONOTIDAE.
MiCROSCELis1 LEUCOCEPHALUS (Gmelin).
Eight males, Hsienshan, Pootung, Hsienhsienshan, Mafuling, Peiyangsze,
Hupeh, and Omeihsien, Szechwan, spring, and summer.
PYCNONOTUS XANTHORRHOUS J. Anderson.
Twenty-four specimens, young and adult both sexes, Ichang, Yangchiata-
miao, and Hsienshanhsien, Hupeh, and Wushanhsien, Kiating, and Chinchihsien,
Szechwan, all seasons.
1 As Hypsipetes, the current name of this genus is preoccupied, we take Microscelis, apparently the
first available name.
166 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
PYCNONOTUS SINENSIS (Gmelin).
Thirty-three specimens, young and adults, both sexes, Ichang, and Kwatze,
Hupeh, and Hochianghsien, Wanhsien, and Nanchihsien, Szechwan, and Shang-
hai, Kiangsu, all seasons.
SPIZIXTJS SEMITORQUES Swinhoe.
Twenty specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Changyanghsien, Tawan, Kwatze-
ling, Hsienshanhsien, Shihtowya, and Hsienshan, Hupeh, and Kiating, and
Changshowhsien, Szechwan, all seasons.
TIMELIIDAE.
BABAX LANCEOLATUS LANCEOLATUS (Verreaux).
Seven adults, both sexes, from Hsientientze, Hsienshanhsien, Changyang-
hsien, Hochaping, and Kwangpow, Hupeh, taken at all seasons of the year.
BABAX LANCEOLATUS BONVALOTI Oustalet.
Six specimens, young and adult, both sexes, Ramala Pass, Tachienlu, and
Cheto, western Szechwan, midsummer.
The one adult a" , with a wholly striped belly, from the Ramala Pass,
14,000 feet, is apparently an extreme example of this large, dark western sub-
species. As Oustalet has already mentioned Tachienlu specimens are somewhat
intermediate, but they are so very much nearer the Tibetan subspecies than to
true lanceolatus, that there is no question but that they should be placed with
the former.
TROCHALOPTERON ELLIOTI ELLIOTI Verreaux.
Twenty-eight specimens, Washan, Tachienlu, Yachiakun, Tachiao, and
Cheto, western Szechwan, and Changyanghsien, Hsienshanhsien, Mafuling,
Hsienshan, Kwangpow, Patung, Tanshuiya, and Hsientientze, Hupeh, all
seasons.
TROCHALOPTERON FORMOSUM Verreaux.
Three adults, two males and a female, taken at Washan, western Szechwan,
7,000 feet, October 31, 1908.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 167
•
TROCHALOPTERON CANORUM (Linn6).
Ten specimens, both sexes from Ichang, Changyanghsien, and Hsienshan-
hsien, Hupeh, all taken in autumn and winter, and from Tsaikow, and Kiating,
western Szechwan, taken in October, and November.
IANTHOCINCLA MAXIMA (Verreaux).
Eleven specimens, young and adult of both sexes, Shuowlow, Ramala Pass,
Yachiakun, Kaoerhshan, Wulungshih, and Lanerhyingpa, western Szechwan,
midsummer.
IANTHOCINCLA CINEREICEPS Styan.
One adult female from Hsienshanhsien, Hupeh, December 19, 1907.
POMATORHINUS STYANi Seebohm.
Ten specimens, adults of both sexes, Ichang, Hsienshan, Changyanghsien,
and Hsienshanhsien, Hupeh, all seasons.
POMATORHINUS MACCLELLANDI GRAVIVOX David.
Two specimens, adult cf and 9 , from Peiyangsze, and Mafuling, Hupeh,
May 12, and June 6, 1907.
DRYONASTES PERSPICILLATUS PERSPICILLATUS (Gmelin).
Ten specimens, adults of both sexes, Ituhsien, Kingaohsien, and Ichang,
Hupeh, and Chungchowhsien, eastern Szechwan, all seasons.
DRYONASTES SANNIO (Swinhoe).
Fifteen specimens, young and adult, both sexes, Changyanghsien, Ichang,
and Putze, Hupeh, and Lungchi, and Kiating, Szechwan, all seasons.
ALCIPPE NIPALENSIS HUETI David.
Sixteen specimens, both sexes, Kiating, and Changshowhsien, Szechwan,
autumn, winter, and spring.
PROPARUS CINEREICEPS (Verreaux).
Fifteen specimens adults of both sexes, from Hsienshanhsien, and Hochaping,
Hupeh, and Makaling, Tachiao, and Washan, western Szechwan, all seasons.
168 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
•
This series shows considerable variation in the colors of the head and back,
a variation principally seasonal though in slight degree due to individual differ-
ences; there is however not a single specimen that could be referred to Proparus
fucatus Styan described from Ichang.
MOUPINIA POECILOTIS (Verreaux).
Four specimens, adults and immature of both sexes, Tachienlu, and Chin-
chihsien, western Szechwan, at altitudes ranging from 8,000 to 12,500 feet,
August and October.
SCHOENIPARUS VARIEGATUS Styan.
One adult o" in worn plumage, Chinshihsien, western Szechwan, June 27,
1908.
Ogilvie-Grant considers this species the same as Schoeniparus geneslieri
(Oustalet), which has two years priority over Styan's name; but Sharpe retains
both species in his Hand List of Birds. With but a single specimen we are not
in a position to decide.
STACHYRIDOPSIS PRAECOGNITUS (Swinhoe).
Seven specimens, adults of both sexes, Hsienshanhsien, Hupeh, and Kiating,
Washanhsien, and Nanchihsien, Szechwan, spring, autumn, and winter.
The one skin taken at Hsienshanhsien, December 28, 1907, is paler below,
more grayish and less greenish olive, above, than any of the Szechwan specimens.
Though very pale in color below it is still, however, yellowish, and can not, we
believe, be referable to S. davidi Oustalet, which was described as " cinerascenti-
bus" on the breast and abdomen, though it would seem to approach that form
in some degree.
MYIOPHONEUS CAERULETJS (Scopoli).
Five adults, both sexes, Kweichowhsien, and Ichang, Hupeh, and Nitow,
and Kiating, western Szechwan, December, March, and June.
MYIOPHONEUS TIBETANUS Madarasz.
This very distinct species with a yellow bill and no semiconcealed white
markings on the feathers of the rump and sides, was taken at Nachuka, 10,000
feet, Tachienlu, 7,500 to 10,000 feet, Washan, and Cheto, 10,000 feet, western
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 169
Szechwan ; ten specimens including young and adults were secured in spring and
summer, 1908.
Hartert having examined the type, pronounced it a young bird and synony-
mous with M. temminckii temminckii Vigors (Die vogel der palaarktischen
fauna, p. 676).
Our series contains six fully adult breeding birds, taken between the dates
of May 18 and August 24, and as none of these show even the slightest indica-
tion of white spots so conspicuous on the rump and sides of M. temminckii and
M. caerukus, we believe that Hartert was mistaken in his disposition of the
species. M . tibetanus is moreover of a rather duller blue color generally than M .
temminckii, and the shiny blue spots are smaller both above and below.
HETEROXENICUS CRTJRALIS FORMASTER, sub. sp. nov.
Four specimens, an adult male, two young males, and an adult female,
Washan Mountain, western Szechwan, 9,000 to 10,000 feet, May 31 to June 4,
1908.
Type: — No. 51970 M. C. Z. adult d*. Western Szechwan: Washan Moun-
tain, 10,000 feet, May 31, 1908. W. R. Zappey.
Characters:— Very similar to true H . cruralis (Blyth) of the eastern Himala-
yas, but larger; the adult male with the blue parts much grayer blue, less indigo;
the adult female, duller, more olivaceous, less russet-brown. Thus, the new
form seems to be in general color like H. sinensis (Rickett) of northwestern
Fukien (which we have not seen) but is larger and has the lores black as in true
H. cruralis.
Measurements: — Type, adult G?, wing, 73; tail, 47; tarsus, 34; culmen,
14. Adult 9 , Topotype No. 51973, wing, 70; tail, 45; tarsus, 32.5; culmen, 13.
Remarks: — This bird was found only on Washan Mountain, where it
lived in the rhododendron thickets; it was shot with great difficulty. There
is no doubt that it is very closely related to true H. cruralis on the one hand and
to H. sinensis on the other, still it differs from both in its larger size, and from
each in other slight characters; and we believe it must be regarded as represent-
ing a distinct subspecies.
TESIA GRALLATOR, sp. nov.
Plate 5, figs. 1, 2.
Type: — No. 51975 M. C. Z. adult 9 . Western Szechwan: Washan Moun-
tain, 10,000 feet, May 31, 1908. W. R. Zappey.
170 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
Characters: — Similar to T. castaneocoronata (Burton) (Plate 6, fig. 3, bill)
of the eastern Himalayas, but with a very much smaller bill (Plate 6, fig. 2)
which is of a yellowish color throughout ; (the two specimens of T. castaneocoro-
nata examined have the maxilla dark brown); crown orange-rufous instead of
hazel or chestnut; underparts slightly paler yellow, with a narrow band of olive-
green spots across chest; eye-ring, showing most distinctly just before and just
behind eye, bright yellow.
Measurements: — Type, adult 9, wing, 50.5; tail, 24; tarsus, 23; cul-
men, 8.5.
Remarks: — This Tesia also kept itself closely concealed in the thickets of
rhododendron on Washan and the type was the only individual seen during the
all too short stay on this exceedingly interesting mountain.
YUHINA GULARIS YANGPIENSIS Sharpe.
Two adults, male and female, taken together, on Washan, western Szech-
wan, at 8,000 feet altitude, October 27, 1908.
These skins agree exactly with Sharpe's description, and are very different
from examples of true Y. gularis from the eastern Himalayas. We have how-
ever seen no specimens from Yunnan.
YUHINA DIADEMATA Verreaux.
Nine adults, both sexes, Hsienshanhsien, Changyanghsien, and Putze,
Hupeh, and Nitow, and Washan, western Szechwan, all seasons.
LlOTHRIX LUTEUS LUTEUS (Scopoli).
Twenty-four specimens, adults of both sexes, Hsienshanhsien, Hsienshan,
Patung, and Changyanghsien, Hupeh, and Yachow, Lungchi, and Luluping,
Szechwan, all seasons.
CONOSTOMA AEMODIUM Hodgson.
Three adult males, Washan, western Szechwan, taken at altitudes of from
8,000 to 10,000 feet, May and October.
CHOLORNIS PARADOXA Verreaux.
Four adult males, Washan, western Szechwan, 8,000 to 8,500 feet, May,
1908.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 171
SUTHORA UNICOLOR CANASTER, sub. sp. nov.
Two specimens, both males, Washan, and Yachiakun, western Szechwan,
July and November.
Type:— No. 50709 M. C. Z. adult d". Western Szechwan: Washan
Mountain, November 3, 1908. W. R. Zappey.
Characters: — Similar to true Suthora unicolor (Hodgson) (compared with
specimens from Sikkim) but slightly smaller with a decidedly smaller bill; colora-
tion grayer, the breast and chest much more ashy and less vinous, sides of head
paler and grayer, forehead and forward part of crown pearly gray instead of
vinous brown.
Measurements: — Type, adult <?, wing, 88; tail, 101; tarsus, 30.5; culmen,
13. No. 50710, adult d" , Yachiakun, western Szechwan, July 14, 1908,
wing, 89; tail, 104; tarsus, 30; culmen, 13.5.
SUTHORA CONSPICILLATA David.
One adult d", Hsientientze, Hupeh, 6,000 feet, June 2, 1907.
SUTHORA ALPHONSIANA Verreaux.
Three adults, two males and a female, Kiating, and Luluping, western
Szechwan, June, and November.
SUTHORA WEBBIANA SUFFUSA (Swinhoe).
Twenty-three specimens, adults of both sexes, Ichang, Hsienshanhsien,
Shantau, and Kunganhsien, Hupeh, and Changshowhsien, eastern Szechwan
all seaso ns .
SUTHORA ZAPPEYI, sp. nov.
Plate 4, fig. 2.
Seven specimens, adults of both sexes, all from Washan Mountain, western
Szechwan, 8,500 to 10,000 feet, October, November, and May.
Type:— No. 50738 M. C. Z., adult d". Western Szechwan: Washan Moun-
tain, 9,000 feet, November 3, 1908. W. R. Zappey.
Characters: — A medium sized species, with a small bill, much crested head,
and of dull coloration. Back Mars brown; head and anterior lower parts gray;
sides ecru-drab; flanks and under tail-coverts, drab.
172 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
Color: — Pileum mouse-gray; sides of face and neck smoke gray; back
Mars brown; rump and upper tail-coverts drab; wings dusky margined with
Mars brown; tail dusky narrowly edged with drab; throat and chest pale drab-
gray; sides of breast ecru-drab; flanks and under tail-coverts drab; bill pale
yellowish, more or less dusky at base of culmen (in dried skin).
Summer — May 31 — specimens are like autumnal ones, except in being
duller in colors throughout with the plumage much closer, less fluffy.
Measurements: — Type, adult a", wing, 58.5; tail, 77; tarsus, 22; cul-
men, 7.5. Adult 9 Topotype, No. 50743, wing, 57; tail, 79; tarsus, 22; cul-
men, 8.
Remarks: — This species, which we have named in honor of Mr. Zappey,
was seen on Washan only, where it is probably resident. It occurred in fair
numbers both in spring, and early summer, and in autumn.
TROGLODYTIDAE.
NANNUS TROGLODYTES SZETSCHTJANUS (Hartert).
Ten specimens, adults of both sexes and two young females. Ichang,
Changyanghsien, and Hsienshanhsien, Hupeh, and Tachiao, and Wulungshih,
western Szechwan, the latter at an altitude of 14,500 feet, all seasons.
PNOEPYGA MUTICA, sp. nov.
Plate 4, fig. 1.
Type:— No. 51974 M. C. Z. adult d1. Western Szechwan: Washan Moun-
tain, 10,000 feet, June 3, 1908. W. R. Zappey.
Characters: — Somewhat similar to P. squamata (Gould) of the Himalayas,
the upper parts very similar, the under parts much darker, the dusky centres
of the feathers much more extended and the white borders much narrower and
nearly or quite disappearing on the feathers of the sides and flanks; the pro-
nounced buffy suffusion of the whole under parts of P. squamata is, except for
a light buffy wash on the low belly, wanting in the Washan bird.
Color: — Whole upper parts, including wings and tail, Prout's brown, each
feather of the head and back with a small terminal spot of tawny; throat plain
white; chest and breast, to middle of abdomen with each feather dusky gray
in the middle and white around the edges, producing a regular scale-like appear-
ance; flanks and under tail-coverts dull Prout's brown, the feathers tipped with
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 173
brownish white; bill dark brown, yellowish white at base of lower mandible;
legs and feet brown.
Measurement*:— Type adult d", wing, 61; tail, 17; tarsus, 25.5; culmen,
11.5.
Remarks. — The unique specimen of this extraordinary little bird was
secured almost by accident. It was on the ground, under the dense, all but
impenetrable masses of rhododendron that cover the high sides of Washan,
when a slight movement of the bird attracted Mr. Zappey's attention.
CINCLIDAE.
ClNCLUS CINCLUS CASHMERIENSIS Gould.
One female Tachienlu, western Szechwan, 9,000 feet, September 30, 1908.
CINCLUS PALLASII SOULIEI Oustalet.
Twenty-two specimens, young and adults of both sexes, Ichang, and Chang-
yanghsien, Hupeh, all seasons.
TURDIDAE.
PLANESTICUS MERULA MANDARINUS (Bonaparte).
Sixteen specimens, adults and young of both sexes, Ichang, and Chang-
kowhsien, Hupeh, and Omeihsien, Hochianghsien, and Kiating, western Sze-
chwan, all seasons.
PLANESTICUS CASTANEA GOULDI (Verreaux).
Sixteen specimens, adults and young of both sexes, Tachienlu, and Tachiao,
western Szechwan, midsummer.
PLANESTICUS KESSLERI (Prjevalsky).
Four adults, two males and two females, western Szechwan: Tachienlu,
13,500 feet, Ramala Pass, 15,000 feet, Lanerhyingpa, 14,000 feet, and Kaoer-
hshan, 15,000 feet, July, and August, 1908. This fine bird was found only in
the highest grass-lands, and was very rare even in those regions.
PSOPHOCICHLA AURITA (Verreaux).
One adult male, Kiating, western Szechwan, November 28, 1908,
174 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
OREOCINCLA AUREA (Holandre).
One adult male, Ichang, Hupeh, April 30, 1907.
OREOCINCLA DAUMA SOCIA, sub. sp. nov.
Two specimens, male and female adults, Tachienlu; western Szechwan,
9,000 feet, September 28, 1908.
Type:— No. 51177 M. C. Z. adult cf. Western Szechwan: Tachienlu,
9,000 feet, September 28, 1908. W. R. Zappey.
Characters: — -Similar to true 0. dauma (Latham) of the Himalayas, and
with twelve tail-feathers; but smaller, much darker in general coloration, with
all the black markings of the feathers wider and the ochraceous markings nar-
rower;, underparts more ochraceous or buff-yellow, less whitish; under tail-
coverts wholly buff -yellow; pileum much darker, the feathers, except for the
ochraceous spot on each, black instead of brown.
Measurements: — Type, adult cf, wing 138; tail, 95.5; tarsus, 34.5; culmen,
22. Adult 9 No. 51176. Topotype, wing, 135; tail, 90; tarsus, 32; culmen, 22.
Remarks: — Like so many other Himalayan birds, Oreocincla dauma has a
well-marked subspecies in the high mountains of western China. It must be
either very rare or very retiring in its habits as Mr. Zappey saw but the two
collected and we can not find that any other collector has ever taken it in this
general region or in eastern Tibet where it should also occur.
TURDUS CARDIS LATEUS Thayer & Bangs.
Bull. M. C. Z., May, 1909, 62, p. 140.
•
Four specimens, three adult males and a young male in nestling plumage,
Ichang, Hupeh, April, June, and July.
This subspecies which is a well-marked form, easily separated from true T.
cardis of Japan, was found only at Ichang where it was breeding. Mr. Zappey
was away from Ichang in May, otherwise from April to July he occasionally
saw or heard this thrush. He states that he might easily have secured additional
specimens had he anticipated that it would not occur elsewhere.
TURDUS NAUMANNI (Temminck).
Twenty-eight specimens, Ichang, Ituhsien, and Changyanghsien, Hupeh,
winter, and early spring.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 175
TURDUS RUFICOLLIS RUFICOLLIS (Pallas).
Two males, one taken at Ichang, March 22, 1907, the other a bird with but
one leg and an old injury to one wing, was shot at Yachiakun, western
Szechwan, 10,000 feet altitude, July 19, 1908. The partially disabled indi-
vidual, which of course had been prevented from migrating northward in the
spring, was in full breeding plumage.
TURDUS FUSCATUS (Pallas).
Eleven specimens, Ichang, Changyanghsien, and Tawan, Hupeh, and
Washan, and Wanhsien, Szechwan, winter, and early spring.
PETROPHILA SOLITARIUS SOLITARIUS (Linn6).
Thirteen specimens, adults of both sexes, Ichang, Changyanghsien, Nantow,
and Hsienshan, Hupeh, and Waszekow, Wanhsien, Luchow, Foochow, and
Luitingchiao, Szechwan, all seasons. Several males — three or four — have
more or less ferruginous mixed in the blue of the belly and under tail-coverts,
thus approaching P. solitarius philippensis (Miill.).
LAISCOPUS COLLARIS NiPALENSis (Hodgson).
One, young male just beginning to assume mature plumage, Cheto, western
Szechwan, 13,500 feet, August 30, 1908.
APRUNELLA IMMACULATA (Hodgson).
One adult male, Washan, western Szechwan, October 28, 1908.
PRUNELLA STROPHIATA MULTISTRIATUS (David).
Five specimens, young and adults, Ramala Pass, Yachia, and Shuowlow,
western Szechwan, 10,000 to 15,500 feet, midsummer.
ENICURUS SINENSIS Gould.
Twenty-five specimens, adults of both sexes, Ichang, Yangchiatamiao,
Yangchaho, Tatung, Chiliping, Chilitoyeh, Kwangpow, Hsienshan, Hsien-
shanhsien, and Changyanghsien, Hupeh, and Yachow, and Luluping, western
Szechwan, all seasons.
176 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
MICROCICHLA SCOULERI (Vigors).
Nine specimens, adults of both sexes and one young female, Ichanghsien,
Hsienshanhsien, Tawan, Changyanghsien, Ichang, and Tanshuiya, Hupeh, and
Washan, western Szechwan, all seasons.
CHIMARRHORNIS LEUCOCEPHALA (Vigors).
Thirty-four specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Ichanghsien, Hsienshanhsien,
and Changyanghsien, Hupeh, and Washan, Cheto, Motuimien, Tsaikow, Tach-
ienlu, and Tachiao, western Szechwan.
PHOENICTJRUS HODGSONI Moore.
Two adult males, Ichanghsien, Hupeh, February 4, 1909, and Kiating,
western Szechwan, December 18, 1908.
PHOENICURTJS AUROREUS AUROREUS (Pallas).
Thirty-nine specimens, adults and young of both sexes, Ichang, Kwang-
pow, Showlungtu, and Hsienshanhsien, Hupeh, and Nachuka, Washan, and
Kiating, western Szechwan, all seasons. Mature birds and two nearly full
grown young in spotted plumage, were taken August 12, and 14, at Nachuka,
10,000 feet altitude.
The recently described Phoenicurus auroreus filchneri (Parrot), if really
distinct, has probably a slightly different range; at all events our birds are
referable to true auroreus. The wing in our largest males not exceeding 75 mm.
and in the females not exceeding 72 mm., breeding birds are no larger than those
taken in winter.
PHOENICURUS FRONTALIS Vigors.
Seven specimens, adults of both sexes, and one young male in spotted
plumage, Washan, Yachiakun, and Yachow, western Szechwan, all midsummer,
except one male taken December 3.
PHOENICURUS SCHISTICEPS (Gray).
Five specimens, two adult males, one adult female, and two young males
in spotted plumage, Ramala Pass, Shuowlow, and Wulungshih, western Sze-
chwan, 12,500 to 15,000 feet, midsummer.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 177
RHYACORNIS FULIGINOSA FULIGINOSA (Vigors).
Forty specimens, young and adults, both sexes, Ichang, Changyanghsien,
Hsienshanhsien, Showlungtu, Pinshinpow, and Kwatzeling, Hupeh, and Washan,
Tachienlu, Tsaikow, Suifu, and Lungchi, Szechwan, all seasons.
CYANOSYLVIA SUECIA ROBUSTA (Buturlin).
Two males, Ichang, Hupeh, October 9, and November 1, 1907.
HODGSONIUS PHOENICUROIDES (Hodgson).
Eight specimens, adults of both sexes and young males, Chetzekow, Hupeh,
and Washan, and Tachienlu, western Szechwan, spring, and summer.
CALLIOPE DAVIDI Oustalet.
Seven specimens, adults of both sexes, Yachiakun, and Lanerhyingpa,
western Szechwan, 12,000 to 14,000 feet altitude, midsummer.
IANTHIA CYANURA (Pallas).
Twenty specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Kwatzeling, Hsienshanhsien, and
Changyanghsien, Hupeh, and Kungyahsien, Shuowlow, Omeihsien, and Kiating,
Szechwan, mostly winter, and early spring, though there is one female taken at
Shuowlow, August 22, that is in very much abraded plumage.
COPSYCHUS SAULARIS (Linne").
Twelve adults, both sexes, Ichang, Changyanghsien, Kwangpow, and Shih-
towya, Hupeh, and Hochiang, Szechwan, all seasons.
Copsychus saularis undoubtedly divides into a number of geographic races,
as partly indicated by Sharpe in the Catalogue of the birds in the British Mu-
seum; many of these have received names. The Chinese and Indian birds
differ somewhat and may have to be recognized, but we have far too little material
at our command to attempt the subdivision.
PRATINCOLA TORQUATA PRJEWALSKII Pleske.
Nine specimens, adults of both sexes and young males in autumn plumage.
Ichang, Tawan, Chetzekow, and Hsientientze, Hupeh and Washan, western
Szechwan. Six of these — five males and a female — were taken during the
breeding season, from late April to the middle of June; the other three are young
178 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES. \
males taken in September, and October and may have been migrants, though
they appear to belong to the same form as the others.
It is with some hesitation that we refer these breeding birds from central
and western China to P. t. prjewalskii, as they are rather smaller than that form,
judged by the measurements given by Hartert in Die vogel der palaarktischen
fauna. On the other hand they are too large to be placed with P. t. stejnegeri
Parrot.
It is probable that they are about intermediate between the two, though
perhaps nearer P. t. prjewalskii than to P. t. stejnegeri.
OREICOLA FERREA HARINGTONI Hartert.
Five specimens, adults of both sexes, Tawan, Hsientientze, and Kwangpow,
Hupeh, and Luluping, western Szechwan, spring, and summer.
SYLVIIDAE.
LOCTJSTELLA LANCEOLATA (Temminck).
Four females, Ichang, Hupeh, September, October, and November.
i
ANTELIOCICHLA BISTRIGICEPS (Swinhoe).
Two adults, male and female, Ichang, Hupeh, September, and October.
ANTELIOCICHLA AGRICOLA CONCINENS (Swinhoe).
One adult male, in rather worn breeding plumage, Hsientientze, Hupeh,
5,500 feet, June 3, 1907.
ACROCEPHALUS ARUNDINACEUS MAGNIROSTRIS (Swinhoe).
Five adults, both sexes, Ichang, Hupeh, June. These birds were breeding
in the reed-beds of the river, and are in rather worn plumage. They appear
to represent this form and not A. inexpectatus; the wing in the male is well over
80 mm. and the 2nd primary falls between the 3rd and 4th in length; the color
of the upper parts moreover, is decidedly olive-brown.
We, however, recognize Swinhoe's name for the Chinese bird, separating
it from the Japanese A. arundinaceus orientalis (Temminck and Schlegel) on
account of its decidedly heavier bill and slightly larger size.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 179
ACROCEPHALUS INEXPECTATUS Berezowski & Bianchi.
One adult male, taken at Ichang, Hupeh, October 8, 1907. This individual
has the wing, 76 mm.; tail 61.5; tarsus, 27.; culmen, 17. The second primary
falls between the 4th and 5th ; and the color of the upper parts is a rich russet-
brown. The specimen, therefore, agrees exactly with the description of Berezow-
ski and Bianchi and is undoubtedly a migrant of the rather more northwestern
species.
DlJMETICOLA1 BRUNNEIPECTTJS (Blyth).
Nine specimens, adults of both sexes, Hsientientze, Hupeh, and Washan,
western Szechwan, May, and June. All were taken at altitudes of between 6,000
and 8,000 feet.
Two nests with sets of eggs — one of two and the other of four — were
secured May 31 and June 6, and in each case the female parent was also taken.
Our skins belong apparently to D. brunneipectus rather than to D. russulus
(Slater), but we have had no specimens of the latter for comparison.
ClSTICOLA CISTICOLA TINTINNABULANS (Swhlhoe).
Two males, Kiating, and Hochianghsien, Szechwan, April 22, and May 6.
OREOPNEUSTE SUBAFFINIS (Ogilvie-Grant).
Ten specimens, adults of both sexes, Hsientientze, Tawan, and Showlungtan,
Hupeh, and Kiating, Washan, and Tachienlu, Szechwan, at altitudes ranging
from 5,000 to 8,000 feet, spring and summer. The one skin from Kiating which
is in low country, was taken November 18, 1908, and is the only specimen in
autumnal plumage.
A nest and set of four eggs was taken together with the female parent at
Washan, 6,000 feet altitude, May 31, 1908.
OREOPNEUSTE AFFINIS (Tickell).
At Yachiakun, western Szechwan, September, 1908, at an altitude of 13,500
feet Mr. Zappey collected one male (probably young in first autumnal plumage)
that is very unlike any in the series of 0. subaffinis even the single autumnal
one from Kiating. This specimen we can not distinguish in any way from skins
of 0. affinis from Shillong, India, with which we have carefully compared it.
1 This genus is unquestionably quite distinct and must be recognized as different from Tribura.
180 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
It can be separated at once from 0. subaffinis by the lemon-yellow underparts,
under wing-coverts, and superciliaries ; by its darker more olive-green back,
and by the smaller amount of black- on the lower mandible. It was probably
a stray migrant.
It" does not seem possible that it can be 0. bianchi Sharpe (originally described
by Berezowski and Bianchi as 0. davidi) which we consider, though without
specimens, to be much nearer to, if not the same as, 0. subaffinis.
OREOPNEUSTE FUSCATUS (Blyth).
Eight specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Hupeh, autumn — September 27 to
•
November 28 — and one killed March 22.
OREOPNEUSTE ARMANDI (Milne Edwards).
Three adults, one male, two females, Tachienlu, western Szechwan, 9,000
to 10,000 feet, July.
REGULOIDES MACULIPENNIS DEBILIS, sub. sp. nov.
Two adult females, western Szechwan; Kiating, November 26, and Luluping,
November 8.
Type:— No. 52502 M. C. Z. adult 9. Western Szechwan: Kiating,
November 26, 1908. W. R. Zappey.
Characters: — Similar to true R. maculipennis (Blyth) of the Himalayas,
but head mouse-gray instead of brownish olive; back bright olive-green instead
of yellowish or greenish olive ; throat paler, grayish white instead of dull drab-
gray; belly paler and purer yellow — pale sulphur-yellow, instead of dull oliva-
ceous maize-yellow.
Measurements: — Type, adult 9, wing, 48; tail, 33; tarsus, 16; culmen, 7.
Remarks: — This is another very distinct west China subspecies of a
Himalayan species. It probably breeds in the coniferous forest on Washan
and perhaps in other parts of this elevated region, although it was not taken
during the breeding season.
REGULOIDES PULCHER (Blyth).
Three specimens, two males and a female all adults, Washan, Yachiakun,
and Tachiao, western Szechwan, 11,000 to 12,000 feet, June, and July.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 181
REGULOIDES PROREGULUS (Pallas).
Twenty-three specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Chetzekow, Hsienshan, and
Hsienshanhsien, Hupeh, and Kiating, Luluping, and Washan, Szechwan. All
seasons, during the breeding season, however, all the places were of high
altitude — 7,000 to 10,000 feet.
REGULOIDES SUPERCILIOSUS (Gmelin).
Fifteen specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Hsientientze, and Kwatzeling,
Hupeh, autumn, and spring as late as May 10.
REGULOIDES MANDELLII Brooks.
One adult male, Lianghokow, western Szechwan, 12,000 feet, September 8,
1908.
ACANTHOPNEUSTE BOREALIS (Blasius).
Two males, Ichang, and Mafuling, Hupeh. September 25, and May 12.
ACANTHOPNEUSTE PLUMBEITARSUS (Swinhoe).
One adult female, Ichang, Hupeh, October 6.
ACANTHOPNEUSTE MAGNIROSTRIS (Blyth).
Ten specimens, both sexes, Hsienthen, Wansow, Chetzekow, and Patung,
Hupeh, and Tachienlu, Washan, and Yachiakun, Szechwan, spring, and summer.
ACANTHOPNEUSTE LUGUBRIS (Blyth).
One adult male, Luluping, western Szechwan, May 13, 1908.
ACANTHOPNEUSTE CORONATA (Temminck).
One adult male, Wanhsien, eastern Szechwan, April 2, 1908. .
This is probably a very rare, or even an accidental migrant, so far inland.
It is, however, a perfectly typical example of the species.
ACANTHOPNEUSTE TROCHILOIDES (Sundeval).
Ten specimens, adults of both sexes, and one young male in nestling plum-
age (August 8), Hsientientze, Kwangpow, Hongchikow, Hochaping, Hupeh,
and Nachuka, and Tsaikow, Szechwan, spring, and summer. Taken only at
altitudes ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 feet during the breeding season.
182 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
HORORNIS FORTIPES DAVioiANA (Verreaux).
Eight specimens, adults of both sexes and one young male, Ichang, Hsien-
tientze, Hsienshanhsien, and Changyanghsien, Hupeh, and Kiating, Szechwan.
All seasons; breeding specimens at high altitudes only, from 5,000 to 5,500 feet.
NEORNIS ACANTHIZOIDES ACANTHIZOIDES (Verreaux).
Eight specimens, adults of both sexes, Kiating, Washan, and Chungchow-
hsien, western Szechwan, winter, spring and summer.
NEORNIS FLAVOLIVACEA INTRICATUS Hartert.
Four specimens, adults of both sexes, Washan, Tachienlu, Yachiakun, and
Lianghokow, western Szechwan, 10,000 to 13,000 feet, midsummer.
NEORNIS CANTANS CANTURIANUS (Swinhoe).
One adult male, Hsientientze, Hupeh, 5,500 feet, June 2, 1907.
SUYA CRINIGERA HodgSOn.
Eight specimens, both sexes, Hsienshan, Nanyangho, and Patunghsien,
Hupeh, and Kiating, Chinkowno, and Nashanhsien, Szechwan. This series
includes skins in spring and summer plumage with black bills and comparatively
short tails; and also examples taken in autumn and winter with pale bills,
comparatively long tails, and considerably more reddish brown above with
dusky markings on the throat and breast.
PRINIA INORNATA EXTER, sub. sp. nov.
Plate 5, figs. 4-5.
Six specimens, adults of both sexes, Nanchihsien, Hokow, and Kiating,
Szechwan, spring, autumn, and winter.
Type: — No. 52580 M. C. Z. adult cf in breeding plumage. Western
Szechwan: Hokow, May 4, 1908. W. R. Zappey.
Characters: — By far the darkest race of P. inornata. In summer plumage
the upper parts are of a shade about between olive and hair-brown; the under
parts strong buff. In winter plumage the upper parts vary from tawny olive
to raw umber and the under parts are clay color. It is therefore a very much
darker bird than either P. inornata inornata Sykes of India or P. inornata exten-
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 183
sicauda (Swinhoe) of Amoy and southeastern China. These two are not very
different in color, the upper parts ranging, in summer plumage, from drab to
wood brown; and the same parts in the winter plumage are about ochraceous
.cinnamon.
Measurements: — Type adult cf, summer plumage, wing, 51; tail, 67;
tarsus, 21; culmen, 10.5. No. 52578, adult male from Kiating, western Sze-
chwan, in winter plumage, wing, 50.5; tail, 89; tarsus, 22; culmen, 10.5.
Remarks: — We can not find that this dark, well-marked form of P. inor-
nata has been named, although it seems probable that Dr. Anderson's Yunnan
specimens would be referable to it. The seasonal differences are the same as
in other members of the genus, but in both plumages it is easily distinguished
from any other of the subspecies by its much darker, deeper coloring.
LANIIDAE.
LANITJS BUCEPHALUS Temminck & Schlegel.
Three specimens, an adult male and two females, Ichang, Hupeh, October
29, and January.
LANIUS TEPHRONOTUS (Vigors).
Sixteen specimens, young and adults, of both sexes, Tachienlu, Nachuka,
Lanerhyingpa, Yachiakun, Cheto, Washan, and the Ramala Pass, Szechwan,
at altitudes ranging from 8,000 to 15,000 feet, midsummer.
LANIUS SCHACH SCHACH Linne".
Nineteen specimens, adults of both sexes, Changkowhsien, Kingaohsien
and Ichang, Hupeh, and Luchow, Suifu, and Kiating, Szechwan, all seasons,
though mostly in winter.
LANIUS LUCIONENSIS Linne".
Twenty-seven specimens, young and adults, both sexes, Ichang, Hsienshan,
and Fangshen, Hupeh, spring, and summer.
PARIDAE.
PENTHESTES AFFINIS (Prjevalsky).
Four adults, both sexes, Lianghokow, Yachiakun, Shuowlow, Tongolow,
western Szechwan, at altitudes ranging from 11,000 to 14,000 feet, midsummer.
184 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
PENTHESTES HYPERMELAENA (Berezowski & Bianchi).
Seven specimens, both sexes, Hsienshanhsien, Mafuling, Fonghsien, and
Chetzekow, Hupeh, at altitudes ranging from 5,000 to 7,000 feet, winter and
spring.
PENTHESTES DEJEANI (Oustalet).
One pair of adults, taken at Nachuka, western Szechwan, at 12,000 feet
altitude, August 14, 1908.
While we hope that our determination of the three species of Penthestes
is correct we must admit that our material for comparison is wholly inadequate.
LOPHOPHANES DICHROIDES Prjevalsky.
Nine adults, both sexes, Tachiao, Tongolow, Shuowlow, Wulungshih, and
Washan, western Szechwan, 9,000 to 14,500 feet, summer, and autumn.
PERIPARUS ATER AEMODIUS (Blyth).
One adult male, Hsienshanhsien, Hupeh, 5,500 feet, December 10, 1907.
PERIPARUS RUFONUCHALIS BEAVANI (Jerdon).
Sixteen specimens, both sexes, Washan, Shuowlow, Tongolow, Wulungshih,
and Ramala Pass, western Szechwan, 8,000 to 14,500 feet, summer, and autumn.
This series appears wholly referable to beavani and not to poecilopsis Sharpe
from Yunnan; the latter compared with the former is described as much paler
below.
PARDALIPARUS VENUSTULUS (Swinhoe).
Thirty-two specimens, young and adult of both sexes, Hsientientze, Ichang,
Hsienshan, Mafuling, Kwatzeling, Nochaping, and Fangshen, Hupeh, all
seasons.
PARUS MAJOR TIBETANUS Hartert.
Perfectly characteristic examples of this form with an extreme amount
of white in the tail, were taken in western Szechwan at Tachienlu, 9,000 feet,
Nachuka, 10,000 feet, and Kiating in midsummer. Seven skins including one
young cf and one young 9 , and adults of both sexes being secured. At Omei-
hsien, Hochiang, Lungchi, and Luluping seven skins including young and adults
were taken, some of which are variously intermediate though all are nearer
tibetanus, than the next form.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 185
PARUS MAJOR ARTATUS Thayer & Bangs.
Bull. M. C. Z., May, 1909, 62, p. 140.
This recently described form occupies the very central part of China.
Twenty-nine specimens including young and adults, were taken, at all
seasons of the year at Ichang, Hsientientze, Chiliping, Kwangpow, Changyang-
hsien, and Hsienshanhsien, Hupeh.
PARUS MONTICOLA MONTICOLA (Vigors).
Ten adult specimens, both sexes, from Ichang, Chetzekow, Kwangpow,
and Hsienshanhsien, Hupeh, and Omeihsien, Kiating, and Washan, western
Szechwan, all seasons.
AEGITHALISCUS CONCINNTJS (Gould).
Thirty specimens, young and adults, both sexes, from Ichang, Yangchiata-
miao, Changyanghsien, Hsienshanhsien, and Hsienshan, Hupeh, and Kiating,
Chienweihsien, Wushanhsien, Nanchihsien, Chungking, Luchow, and Chung-
chowhsien, Szechwan, all seasons.
AEGITHALISCUS BONVALOTI (Oustalet).
One male, not in fully mature plumage, shot at Shuowlow, western Szechwan,
14,000 feet altitude, August 21, 1908.
AEGITHALISCUS FULIGINOSUS (Verreaux).
Fourteen specimens, adults of both sexes, Hsientientze, Hsienshanhsien,
and Fonghsien, Hupeh, winter, and spring.
AEGITHALUS GLAUCOGULARIS (Gould).
Twenty specimens, adults of both sexes, from Ichang, Hupeh, taken at all
seasons.
These skins are all referable to true glaucogularis and not at all to calvus
(Pleske) which is said to range through Szechwan to central China.
REGULIDAE.
SYLVIPARUS MODESTUS OCCULTUS, sub. sp. nov.
Type:— No. 50745 M. C. Z. adult 9. Western Szechwan: Kiating,
November 15, 1908. W. R. Zappey.
186 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
Characters: — Similar to true S. modestus Burton of the Himalayas, but
much grayer, and less greenish in color throughout; upper parts dark, grayish
olive-green, much darker, more grayish, less brownish than in true S. modestus;
under parts dull, grayish pea-green, very different from the pale yellowish olive-
green under parts of true S. modestus.
Measurements: — Type adult 9 , wing, 54; tail, 51.5; tarsus, 15; culmen, 7.
Remarks: — -Although we have but a single example this is so different in
general color from Himalayan skins that it represents without doubt an easily
recognized Chinese subspecies.
SITTIDAE.
SITTA SINENSIS Verreaux.
Twelve specimens, adults of both sexes from Ichang, Kwatzeling, Fonghsien,
Putze, Hsienshanhsien, and Changyanghsien, Hupeh in altitude up to 6,500 feet,
all seasons.
SITTA MONTIUM La Touche.
Five specimens, four adults of both sexes and one young, Nachuka, 12,000
feet, Ramala Pass, 12,000 feet, and Yachow, western Szechwan, midsummer.
The differences, as pointed out by La Touche, distinguish a mountain from
a lowland form of the Chinese nuthatch stand out so strongly in our series and
are of such a nature that taken together with the distribution, would indicate
specific rather than subspecific rank for the two forms.
SITTA PRZEWALSKII Berezowski & Bianchi.
One adult female shot Aug. 18, 1908, at Shuowlow, western Szechwan,
14,000 feet.
This specimen, though a female has a wholly blue-black crown and agrees
minutely with the original description of the type, an adult male.
CERTHIIDAE.
CERTHIA FAMILIARIS KHAMENSIS Bianchi.
One adult <?, Lianghokow, western Szechwan, 13,000 feet, September 7,
1908. This specimen in fine fresh plumage, apparently belongs here, and is not
referable to C. familiaris bianchii Hartert recorded from northern Szechwan.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 187
CERTHIA HIMALAYANA YUNNANENSIS Sharpe.
Three adults, two females and a male Ramala Pass and Nachuka, western
Szechwan, 12,000 to 13,000 feet altitude, August.
TICHODROMA MURARIA (Linne").
Four adults, both sexes, Ichang, Hupeh, and Kiating, Washan, and Kungya-
hsien, western Szechwan, winter.
ZOSTEROPIDAE.
ZOSTEROPS SIMPLEX Swinhoe.
Four adults, both sexes, taken in spring, and summer at Hsienshan, and
Kwatzeling, Hupeh.
These specimens, while probably referable to Z. simplex rather than to Z.
mussoti Oustalet of Szechwan, which was not observed by Mr. Zappey, show
some signs of being intermediate; they have smaller bills, and the black line
from the side of the bill to and below the eye is more distinct than in Z. simplex;
but the yellow of the throat does not extend far backward, and the color
agrees with that of Z. simplex.
DICAEIDAE.
DlCAETJM IGNIPECTUS CYANONOTUM Styan.
Two adult males, one from Hsienshan, Hupeh, June 7, 1907, the other
Wahsien, western Szechwan, April 2, 1908.
This well-marked form appears to be rare, and the two specimens taken were
the only ones seen.
NECTARINIIDAE.
AETHOPYGA DABRYI (Verreaux).
Twenty-one specimens, adults of both sexes, Hsientientze, Mafuling,
Wantaoshan, Patung, Hongsurkow, Hupeh, and Washan, western Szechwan,
all taken in May, and June, at altitudes up to 10,000 feet.
188 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
MOTACILLIDAE.
MOTACILLA ALBA occuLARis (Swinhoe).
Eight specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Hupeh, and Kiating, Szechwan, all
taken in September, October, and November.
MOTACILLA ALBA LEUCOPSIS (Gould).
Twenty specimens, adults and young in first winter plumage, of both sexes,
Ichang, Hupeh, January, March, September, and October.
Motacilla alba baikalensis (Swinhoe) should occur in this general region
in winter, but Mr. Zappey did not take it. All adult birds in our series are
certainly referable to M. alba leucopsis, and most of the young ones have the
gray of the back more or less marked with black, and we consider all one and the
same form.
MOTACILLA ALBA HODGSONI (Blyth).
Eight specimens, adults of both sexes, and two young in nestling plumage,
Washan, Hochianghsien, Wanhsien, Chiangchinghsien, and Tachienlu, western
Szechwan, April, May, July, and October.
The two nestlings — nearly full-grown — were shot at Tachienlu, 9,000 feet
altitude, July 23, 1908.
MOTACILLA BOARTJLA MELANOPE (Pallas).
Nineteen specimens, adults and young in winter plumage of both sexes,
Ichang, Kweichowhsien, Hongchikow, Kwangpow, Shuiyuehtze, and Chiliping,
Hupeh, and Kiating, Tachienlu, Washan, and Tsaikow, Szechwan, all seasons.
A nest and clutch of eggs was taken, together with the male parent bird,
at Washan, western Szechwan, 6,000 feet altitude, June 6, 1908.
BUDYTES CITREOLA (Pallas).
One fine male in full spring plumage, Chiangaohsien, Szechwan, April 28,
1908.
BUDYTES FLAVUS BOREALIS (Sundeval).
Two specimens were taken at Ichang, Hupeh, an adult male, September 14,
1907, and an immature male, October 22, 1907.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 189
BUDYTES FLAVUS siMiLLiMus (Hartert).
Four males, two in adult and two in immature plumage, Ichang, Hupeh,
October 4, Luchow, April 26 (two adult males) and Yachiakun, Szechwan,
September 5, 1908.
DENDRONANTHUS INDICUS (Gmelin).
One female, Ichang, Hupeh, October 12, 1907.
ANTHUS HODGSON: Richmond.
Thirty-one specimens, young and adults, both sexes, Ichang, Hsienshan,
Hsientientze, Chetzekow, Showlungtu, Hupeh, and Washan, Luchow, and Kiat-
ing, Szechwan, all seasons.
A two thirds grown nestling was taken at Washan, Szechwan, at 8,000 feet
attitude, with its male parent, May 31, 1908.
ANTHUS RICHARDI Vieillot.
Seven specimens, adults of both sexes and one young male, Ichang, Hupeh,
and Luchow, Nanchihsien, Hongyalehsien, and Chungking, Szechwan, April,
September, October, and December. A young male with some of the feathers
of the nestling plumage remaining especially on the shoulders, head, and rump
was shot at Ichang, October 19, 1907.
ANTHUS CERVINUS (Pallas).
Four specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Hupeh, and Chiangchinghsien, Ho-
chianghsien, and Wanchihsien, Szechwan, April, and September.
ANTHUS ROSEATUS Blyth.
Fourteen specimens, adults and young of both sexes, Ichang, Showlungtan,
and Shentungchow, Hupeh, and Yachiakun, Tachienlu, Suifu, Ramala Pass,
Luchow, and Cheto, Szechwan, autumn, spring, and summer. In the breeding
season it was found up to an altitude of 15,500 feet.
Young birds with much of the nestling plumage, were shot during August
(16th, 30th) at from 13,500 to 15,500 feet altitude.
ANTHUS SPINOLETTA BLACKISTONI (Swinhoe).
Seven specimens, both sexes, Ichang, and Hsienshanhsien, Hupeh, March,
and December,
190 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
ANTHUS SPINOLETTA JAPONICUS (Temminck & Schlegel).
Five specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Hupeh, and Washan, and Kiating,
western Szechwan, February, March, October, and November.
ALAUDIDAE.
OTOCORIS ELWESI ELWESI Blanford.
Three specimens, adult male and female and nestling, nearly full grown,
Lanerhyingpa, western Szechwan, 14,000 feet altitude, August 4, 1908.
This horned lark was found in the high grass-lands, of what is really eastern
Tibet, but it must be very uncommon there, or at least local, in the breeding
season, as one little family only was seen.
ALATJDA GULGULA GUTTATA Brooks.
Thirteen specimens, adults and young of both sexes, Ichang, Tawan, and
Changyanghsien, Hupeh, and Lochichen, Washan, and Chiangchinghsien, Sze-
chwan, all seasons.
We have compared this series with the greatest care with all material avail-
able including a series from Cashmir in the U. S. national museum, from which
our Chinese birds do not appear to differ; Alauda gulgula guttata is without
doubt the sky-lark of central and western China.
CALANDRELLA BRACHYDACTYLA DUKHUNENSIS (Sykes).
One adult male, Juchi, central Szechwan, April 20, 1908.
This skin, like those in the U. S. national museum, recorded from Shensi
by Richmond, belongs to the larger more deeply colored eastern subspecies.
FRINGILLIDAE.
CHLORIS 1 SINICA (Linn6).
Sixty-two specimens, adults and young, both sexes, Ichang, and Yang-
chiatamiao, Hupeh, and Kiating, Washanhsien, Hochinghsien, Juchi, Chia-
chiang, Luchow, and Lungchi, Szechwan. All seasons.
In the low lands this is one of the commonest of all Chinese birds, coming
about the houses and in the groves that surround the temples.
1 We see no necessity for using Ligurinus for Chloris as Sharpe does in volume 5 of the Hand list.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 191
EOPHONA MELANURA MELANURA (Gmelin).
Thirty-four specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Ituhsien, Changhsien, Kungan-
hsien, and on the Yangtze near Shasi, Hupeh, all seasons.
This species was not found in Szechwan during the second years work.
EOPHONA MELANURA MIGRATORIA Hartert.
Three specimens, a male and two females all taken together at Ichang,
April 30, 1907, are so small, and with such very small bills that they unquestion-
ably belong to this northern form; they were probably migrating.
COCCOTHRAUSTES coccoTHRAUSTES JAPONicus (Temminck & Schlegel).
One pair, the only individuals of this species seen by Mr. Zappey were taken
May 15, 1907, at Hongsurkow, Hupeh, at 6,000 feet altitude.
FRINGILLA MONTIFRINGILLA Linne".
Thirty-one specimens, both sexes, Changyanghsien, Hsienshanhsien, and
Kwangpow, Hupeh and Washan, western Szechwan, late autumn, and winter.
MONTIFRINGILLA NEMORICOLA NEMORICOLA (Hodgson).
Three specimens, an adult cf taken July 14, 1908 at Yachiakun, 14,000 feet
altitude, and an adult 9 and young 9 in nestling plumage, August 30, 1908, at
Cheto, western Szechwan, 13,500 feet altitude.
PASSER MONTANUS MONTANUS (Linne1).
Thirty-one specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Hsienshan, Changyanghsien,
and on the Yangtze near Shasi, Hupeh, and Washanhsien, eastern Szechwan.
The Tree sparrow appears to be found at low altitudes only, as none were taken
at any height in the mountains.
PASSER RUTILANS CINNAMOMEUS (Gould).
Eight specimens, adults of both sexes, Tachienlu, Nachuka, and Lungchi,
western Szechwan, all at high altitudes, up to 12,000 feet. Spring, and summer.
These skins are typical, agreeing exactly with examples from Sikkim and
Manipur.
PASSER RXJTILANS RUTILANS (Temminck).
Fifteen specimens, both sexes, from Ichang, Hsienshanhsien, Fangshen,
Mafuling, Wantaoshan, Nochaping, and Tanshuiya, Hupeh, and Omeihsien,
western Szechwan, 3,000 feet altitude.
192 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
All of these skins are much nearer rutilans than cinnamomeus, some being
quite like Japanese specimens; others however show indications of being inter-
mediates, and the two forms without much doubt intergrade in west central
China.
Judged solely by Mr. Zappey's experience, rutilans is a bird of lower alti-
tudes than cinnamomeus; it is also more eastern, and cinnamomeus does not
appear in its extreme form till the high mountains of western China are reached.
CARPODACUS ERYTHRINUS ROSEATUS (Hodgson).
Fourteen specimens, both sexes, Hsienshan, Hupeh, and Washan, Ho-
chianghsien, Shuowlow, and Tachienlu, Szechwan, ranging in altitude up to
13,000 feet, all seasons,
CARPODACUS 1 DUBIUS Prjevalsky.
Fourteen specimens, young and adult of both sexes, Yachiakun, Tongolow,
Ramala Pass, Shuowlow, and Wulungshih, western Szechwan, at altitudes
between 12,000 and 15,000 feet. Summer, and autumn.
CARPODACUS PULCHERRIMUS (Moore).
Nineteen specimens, adults of both sexes, Yachiakun, Tachienlu, Ramala
Pass, Lanerhyingpa, Nachuka, and Cheto, western Szechwan, at altitudes of
from 10,000 to 15,000 feet, summer.
CARPODACUS EDWARDS: Verreaux.
Four adult females, Washan, and Tachiao, western Szechwan, at altitudes
ranging from 8,000 to 12,000 feet; summer, and autumn.
CARPODACUS RHODOPEPLUS VERREAUXII David.
Three specimens, an adult female from Yachiakun, 14,000 feet, and an adult
male and female, shot together at Lianghokow, western Szechwan, 12,000 feet,
August 8, 1908.
The two females agree with the description of the type and also with those
of later authors, all of which were based on the type.
The adult cf is in rather well-worn midsummer dress. It is decidedly
smaller than males of Carpodacus rhodopeplus rhodopeplus (Vigors), but so far
as color is concerned it differs very little from that form. It appears to be
1 We see no advantage in recognizing such a poorly defined genus as Propasser.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 193
paler, more rosy, less crimson on fore neck and breast, these parts being little
darker than the belly; but this difference, very likely, is due to fading and abra-
sion as there is a suggestion of darker more crimson coloration about the chin
and throat where the feathers are less worn.
The three skins afford the following measurements : —
No. Sex Locality Wing Tail Tarsus Culmen
50229 cT ad. Lianghokow 73. 65. 19. 11.
50230 9 ad. Lianghokow 71. 64.5 18. 11.
50231 9 ad. Yachiakun 74. 64. 18.5 11.
CARPODACUS VINACETJS Verreaux.
Six specimens, adults of both sexes, Wantaoshan, and Chetzekow, Hupeh,
and Washan, and Kiating, western Szechwan, summer, and autumn.
LOXIA CURVIROSTRA HIMALAYENSIS Blyth.
One adult cf , Washan, western Szechwan, October 27, 1908. This is the
only time that Mr. Zappey observed crossbills though for a long time he was
in regions where they might be expected to occur; the specimen collected was one
of two that were feeding in the spruce forest.
PYRRHTJLA ERYTHACA ALTERA Rippon.
Twenty-one specimens, adult and young of both sexes, Hsienshanhsien,
Mafuling, and Changyanghsien, Hupeh, from 5,000 to 6,000 feet altitude and
Tachiao, western Szechwan, 12,000 feet altitude, all seasons. At Tachiao
this bullfinch was quite common about the entrance to the cave in which Mr.
Zappey was living and one or two were shot every morning during his stay there
in September.
The numerous males differ very much as to the color of the under parts;
this varies from rosy scarlet in some individuals to deep chrome in others, with
the bulk of the series showing many intermediate shades of yellowish red or
reddish yellow. The upper parts in the males are invariably clear slate-gray,
and our bird is without doubt the same as the western Yunnan form named
altera by Colonel Rippon.
URAGUS SIBIRICUS LEPIDUS David & Oustalet.
Four adults, two males and two females, Nachuka, and Ramala Pass, western
Szechwan; taken at altitudes of from 10,000 to 12,000 feet, in August, 1908.
194 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
EMBERIZA PUSILLA Pallas.
Thirty-nine specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Yangchiatamiao, Kwangpow,
Changyanghsien, Hsienshanhsien, Kunganhsien, and Mafuling, Hupeh, and
Foochow, Omeihsien, Kiating, Hochianghsien, Luluping, Wushanhsien, and
Chiangchinghsien, Szechwan, winter, and spring.
EMBERIZA RUSTICA Pallas.
Twenty-four specimens, Ichang, Hsienshanhsien, Kunganhsien, and Chang-
yanghsien, Hupeh, winter, and early spring.
EMBERIZA FUCATA FUCATA Pallas.
One female, Ichang, Hupeh, September 29, 1907.
EMBERIZA ELEGANS Temminck.
Thirty-two specimens, Hsienshanhsien, Changyanghsien, Kwangpow, Ho-
chiaping, Tawan, Mafuling, Hsienshan, and Wantaoshan, Hupeh, and Kiating,
Washan, and Luluping, Szechwan.
Most of these specimens were taken in winter and early spring, but in 1907,
at Mafuling, Wantaoshan, and Hsienshan, examples in worn plumage were
secured throughout May and as late as June 5, and again in 1908 the species was
found at Washan from May 23 to June 8; these dates indicate that the birds
were breeding.
EMBERIZA CHRYSOPHRYS Pallas.
Five males, Ichang, Hsienshanhsien, and Changyanghsien, October, De-
cember, and January.
EMBERIZA AUREOLA Pallas.
Seven specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Hupeh, all taken in autumn except
one adult male taken April 30.
EMBERIZA SPODOCEPHALA SPODOCEPHALA Pallas.
This form winters, perhaps sparingly, in the region visited, and the series
collected contains some undoubted adult males; some adult females, and young
birds of both sexes in winter plumage we are unable satisfactorily to distinguish,
but as the majority of adult males belong to the resident breeding subspecies,
it is probable that the majority of females and young also belong there.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 195
We refer to this form four skins including one adult cf taken at Shanghai
in February, 1907, one adult cf from Ituhsien, Hupeh, January 31, 1908, and
three specimens including an adult male from Kiating, western Szechwan, taken
in November, and December.
EMBERIZA SPODOCEPHALA MELANOPS Blyth.
Twenty-two specimens, Ichang, Kwangpow, Hochiaping, Changkowhsien,
Kwatzeling, and Hsienshanhsien, Hupeh, and Washan, western Szechwan, all
seasons. Breeding birds were taken at Kwangpow, Hochiaping, Kwatzeling,
and near Ichang, Hupeh, and at Washan, Szechwan. At the latter place two
nests with sets of eggs were taken, June 3, 1908, together in both cases with the
female parent bird. It is not difficult to separate the adult male of this resident
form from adult males of E. spodocephala spodocephala, the fore neck and breast
of melanops are olive-green instead of gray and its belly is brighter yellow.
Adult females can also usually be distinguished, but immature birds killed
in winter are very puzzling and their identification is, we believe, largely empirical.
EMBERIZA CIOIDES CASTANEICEPS Moore.
Thirty-one specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Kwangpow, Kwatzeling, Hsien-
shanhsien, Patunghsien, Peimuping, and Changyanghsien, Hupeh and Yiinyang-
hsien, Wanhsien, and Washan, Szechwan, all seasons.
EMBERIZA YTJNNANENSIS Sharpe.
Thirty-three specimens, young and adults of both sexes, Hsienshanhsien,
Tawan, Kwangpow, Hsientientze, Changyanghsien, and Mafuling, Hupeh, and
Tachienlu, Hwaliangmien, Washan, Luitingchiao, and Nachuka, Szechwan, all
seasons.
A set of eggs together with the female parent was taken at Washan, western
Szechwan, at 6,000 feet altitude June 7, 1908, and a full-fledged nestling in spotted
plumage was shot at Tachienlu, July 7, 1908.
MELOPHUS MELANICTERUS (Gmelin).
One male, Kiating, western Szechwan, November 28, 1908. One other
individual of this species was seen but not secured.
196 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
PLOCEIDAE.
UROLONCHA SQUAMICOLLIS Sharpe.
Six specimens, adults of both sexes and one young male, Kiating, and Chia-
chianghsien, western Szechwan, and Changshowhsien, eastern Szechwan, April,
and November.
STURNIDAE.
SPODIOPSAR CINERACEUS (Temminck).
Ten specimens, adults of both sexes, Changkowhsien, Ituhsien, and Ichang,
Hupeh.
SPODIOPSAR SERICEUS (Gmelin).
Four specimens, both sexes, Ichang, Hupeh, and Kungyahsien, western
Szechwan, October, and December.
AGROPSAR STURNINUS (Pallas).
Two specimens, male and female, Ichang, Hupeh, September 16, and 26,
1907.
AETHIOPSAR CRISTATELLTJS (Linne").
Twenty-seven specimens, adults, of both sexes, Ichang, Hsienshan, Chang-
kowhsien, Changyanghsien, Hupeh, all seasons.
ORIOLIDAE.
ORIOLUS DIFFUSUS Sharpe.
Thirteen specimens, both sexes, from Ichang, Patung, Hsientientze, and
Hsienyuehtze, Hupeh, and Luluping, and Chinkowno, western Szechwan, spring,
summer, and early autumn.
DICRURIDAE.
CHIBIA HOTTENTOTTA BREVIROSTRIS (Cabanis).
Eight adults, both sexes, Wantaoshan, Hsienshan, Fongshen, and Hsien-
tientze, Hupeh, and Kwanerhyingpa, western Szechwan, May, June, and
October.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 197
A nest and clutch of two eggs was taken, together with the female parent
bird at Hsienshan, Hupeh, on June 8, 1907.
The short-billed Chinese birds when compared with Indian examples seem
to constitute a perfectly valid race.
BUCHANGA ATRA CATHOECA Walden.
Eighteen specimens, adults and young of both sexes, Ichang, Peimuping,
and Hsienshenshan, Hupeh, and Suifu, Szechwan, spring, summer, and autumn.
BUCHANGA LEUCOGENYS Walden.
Six adults, both sexes, Ichang, Shinshenshan, and Fongshen, Hupeh, and
Luluping, Szechwan, May and June.
CORVIDAE.
SlTOCORAX PASTINATOR (Gould).
Nine specimens, adults of both sexes Kunganhsien, Changkowhsien, Yang-
tze near Shasi, Hupeh, and Kiating, Hungyahsien, and Chiachianghsien, Szechwan
autumn and winter.
CORVUS CORAX TIBETANUS HodgSOH.
One adult male, Shuowlow, western Szechwan, 12,500 feet altitude, August
21, 1908.
CORVUS MACRORHYNCHUS LEVAILLANTII LeSSOn.
Thirteen specimens, adults of both sexes, Ichang, Changyanghsien, Hsien-
tientze, Hsienshanhsien, Yangtze near Shasi, and Moshuiping, Hupeh, and
Washan, western Szechwan, all seasons.
CORVUS TORQUATUS Lesson.
Ten specimens, both sexes, Ichang, and Changkowhsien, Hupeh, and
Washan, and Chungchowhsien, Szechwan, all seasons.
CORVUS CORONE ORIENTALIS Evermann.
One adult female, Washan, western Szechwan, November 6, 1908.
There is also in the collection a young crow from Tachienlu, western Sze-
chwan at 10,300 feet altitude that we consider this species. It is wholly in
nestling plumage and was about two thirds grown. It was taken July 13, 1908.
198 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
COLOEUS NEGLECTUS (Schlegel).
One old female, Tachienlu, western Szechwan, 10,000 feet altitude, July 20,
1908.
This specimen is rather larger than any in a series of five in the collection
of the Museum of comparative zoology from near Pekin. Its wing being, 240
mm. long, as contrasted with 231 mm. in the largest of the Pekin skins. Tachien-
lu is also well beyond the known range of C. neglectus and very probably
more specimens would show that a large race of the Black jackdaw occupies
this region as well as a large race of C. dauuricus. We, however, hesitate to
make such a separation on a single specimen.
COLOEUS DAUURICUS DAUURICUS (Pallas).
Three adults, one male and two females, Ituhsien, Hupeh, February.
COLOEUS DAUURICUS KHAMENSIS Bianchi.
Six specimens, both sexes, including four adults and two young, Tongolow,
and Tachienlu, western Szechwan, 10,000 to 12,000 feet altitude, July, and
August.
This fine large form, originally described from Kham, Tibet, is easily dis-
tinguished from true C. dauuricus not only by greater size, but by the slightly
different shade of its belly. Bianchi (Ann. Mus. St. Petersb., 1903, 8, p. 11)
first recorded the form under a nomen nudum, C. major, and three years later,
when describing it, Bull. B. O. C., 16, p. 68, used another name, C. khamensis.
Sharpe, however, in the Hand List, gives both names, apparently overlooking
the fact that they apply to one and the same form.
NUCIFRAGA HEMISPILA MACELLA Thayer & Bangs.
Bull. M. C. Z., May, 1909, 52, p. 140.
Two specimens, an adult male, the type, from Hsienshanhsien, December
11, 1907, and an adult female from Tachienlu, western Szechwan, September 23,
1908.
This form is only slightly different from the Himalayan bird, true hemispila.
It is, however, smaller and has a shorter and thicker bill, but the pronounced
character of the white spotting in the Chinese bird does not hold good when
compared with a large series of Indian skins.
THAYER AND BANGS: AVES. 199
PICA PICA SERICEA Gould.
Thirteen specimens young and adults of both sexes, Ichang, and Changy-
anghsien, Hupeh, and Kiating, Luluping, and Washan, western Szechwan, all
seasons.
PICA PICA BOTTANENSIS Delessert.
Two specimens, youngish male and female, Shuowlow near the Ramala
Pass, western Szechwan, at 12,500 feet altitude, August 22, 1908.
These birds were full grown and had wings and tail as in the adult; in the
female most of the feathers of the back are of adult plumage; and in both, the
lesser amount of white on the primaries is very evident. These specimens may
be too immature to have acquired the wholly black back, but neither show any
trace of a pale band on the rump.
CYANOPICA CYANA SWINHOEI Hartert.
Eleven specimens, adults of both sexes, Ichang, and Changkowhsien, Hupeh,
all seasons.
UROCISSA ERYTHRORHYNCHA (Gmelin).
Twenty-seven specimens, adults of both sexes, Ichang, Kwangpow, Shih-
towya, Hsienshanhsien, and Changyanghsien, Hupeh, and Yachow, Kiating, and
Chungchowhsien, Szechwan, all seasons.
GARRULUS SINENSIS Swinhoe.
Twenty-seven specimens, adults of both sexes and one young female,
Ichang, Changyanghsien, Hochaping, Shihtowya, Hsientientze, Hsienshan,
and Hsienshanhsien, Hupeh, and Luchow, Changshowhsien, Nachuka, Washan,
and Luluping, Szechwan, all seasons.
This series shows but little variation, except that certain specimens have
more or less black streaking on the forehead and crown ; and this variation occurs
occasionally in various places.
BOANERGES, gen. nov.
Type: — B. internigrans, sp. nov.
Characters: — Similar to Perisoreus (P. infaustus) but bill much broader and
more depressed basally, particularly the maxilla (bill but § as high as broad at
base) ; the commissural edges of maxilla flattened and flaring basally; the culmen
200 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
much more flattened especially basally; nasal tufts less copious and more bristly;
tarsus relatively longer.
Color: — Wholly dark gray with black wings, tail, and head; bill mostly
dull green.
BOANERGES INTERNIGRANS, sp. nov.
Plate 6.
Six specimens, adults of both sexes, Shuowlow, western Szechwan, 14,000
feet, August 22 and 23, 1908.
Type:— No. 52587 M. C. Z. adult cf. Western Szechwan: Shuowlow,
14,000 feet, August 23, 1908. W. R. Zappey.
Color: — Head, including cheeks and chin, wings, and tail dull black ; rest
of body dull grayish slate color, the breast and chest somewhat flecked with
black; bill dull light greenish, darker at base and along sides of culmen; tarsus
and foot black.
Measurements: — Type, adult cf, wing, 167; tail, 161; tarsus, 42.5;
culmen, 26. No. 52591, adult 9, topotype, wing, 165; tail, 155; tarsus,
40.5; culmen, 24.
Remarks: — Mr. Zappey met with this remarkable species only at Shuowlow
where he found it in small numbers in the coniferous forest, behaving exactly,
he tells us, like the Canada jay of North America.
PYRRHOCORAX PYRRHOCORAX (Linn6).
Eleven specimens, adults of both sexes and young, Tachienlu, and Cheto,
western Szechwan, 9,000 to 12,000 feet, summer.
The Chough was abundant in the high mountains in western Szechwan
but was not met with in Hupeh.
GRACULUS GRACULUS (Linn6).
Four adult males, Tachienlu, and Yachiakun, western Szechwan, 14,000 to
15,000 feet, summer.
The Alpine chough was decidedly rarer than the last species and occurred
only at greater altitudes, from 14,000 feet or thereabouts, upward; still at these
lofty elevations it was constantly seen flying about like a swallow and now and
then settling in the villages to feed on Yak excrement.
MAMMALIA.
BY GLOVER M. ALLEN.
The splendid collection of mammals made by Mr. Zappey in the Provinces
of Hupeh and Szechwan numbers some 375 well-prepared skins, together with
a few trade skins and several large skulls and horns. The lack of comparable
material has made the determination of some of the species rather difficult
especially in the case of the genera Epimys and Apodemus, of which a number of
closely allied forms inhabit southeastern Asia. Although Pere David collected
with considerable thoroughness in parts of Szechwan, and later travellers have
sent collections of mammals to Europe, there appear to be several species among
the smaller rodents that have hitherto escaped notice. Of these, perhaps the
most interesting are two very well-characterized species of voles belonging to
the subgenus Eothenomys, and a very dark brown Craseomys, also apparently
new, which is the most southeastern Asiatic species yet found, for voles seem
to be few in southern China.
All measurements are in millimeters and colors are according to Ridgway's
Nomenclature of colors.
BOVIDAE.
BUDORCAS TIBETANUS (Milne Edwards).
In the mountains at Lianghokow, western Szechwan, Mr. Zappey obtained
a fine adult female and at Washan two young Takins. Milne Edwards (1868-74)
who figured this animal and described its skeleton at some length, considered
it a race of B. taxicolor of the Mishmi Hills. Lydekker in the London Field
(1908, 111, p. 790) proposed the name Budorcas taxicolor mitchelli for a gray-
colored female received by the British Museum from Szechwan, supposing it
to represent a different race from the darker animal found in the same localities.
Later, however, after comparison of specimens he (1908a, p. 795) reached the
conclusion that the difference in color was merely sexual, and that B. taxicolor
was specifically distinct from B. tibetanus of Szechwan. In a communication
to the London Field, 19 March, 1910, 116, p. 520, he further records a gray
male from Szechwan, apparently indicating that the two color phases are inde-
pendent of sex. The adult female secured by Mr. Zappey represents the gray
phase.
202 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
NAEMORHEDTJS GRISEUS Milne Edwards.
In his review of this genus, Pocock (1908, p. 173) has shown that the several
varieties of Gorals described from southwestern China are, for the present at
least, best referred to the one species, N. griseus; whose range is rather extensive
in the highlands of that part of the country. A series of seven specimens, young
and old, of both sexes, was collected by Mr. Zappey, and these show a fairly
close agreement in color. Four were shot at Ichanghsien, one at Patunghsien,
Hupeh, and two at Liuyang, in Western Szechwan at an altitude of 7,000 feet.
The variations shown by the Ichanghsien skins are quite as described by Pocock
for specimens in the British museum from the same region, and I am unable to
distinguish these from specimens taken in western Szechwan. The same varia-
tion in the horns described by Pocock is likewise present in the series studied.
In adults from the same locality, there are some in which the horns curve sharply
backward, and others in which they are straighter and nearly in the same plane
with the frontal outline. These differences are rather striking at first but seem
to be wholly individual.
CAPRICORNIS ARGYROCHAETES (Heude).
Two specimens, adult females, from Washan in western Szechwan, agree
in having no white on the knee or fetlock, but instead these portions are light
buff and the anterior side of the fore leg below the knee (metacarpals) is blackish,
with a slight admixture of reddish (nearly light "hazel") hairs. The gray
rather than white mane is noticeable in both specimens. These characters are
pointed out by Pocock (1908, p. 185) in his review of the Serows, as characteriz-
ing this race, of which he also mentions two specimens in the British Museum
one from Szechwan, obtained from Berezowski in 1896, the other a mounted
specimen said to have come from "Tibet" which has been made the subject of a
communication by Lydekker (1905, p. 329, pi. 8). In a further communication
Lydekker (1908b) maintains the specific rank of this Serow.
The two specimens shot by Mr. Zappey were measured by him as follows: -
/
Height at
Orig. No. Length. Tail. Hind'Fool. Shoulder.
175 1590 115 380 860
176 1675 120 388 $00
The iris is described as hazel. The first animal is much the younger with horns
125 mm. long; the second has considerably longer horns, measuring 215 mm. in
ALLEN: MAMMALIA. 203
length, in a straight line from base to tip. They are slightly curved backward
and divergent.
A single skull obtained from the natives in the Province, probably also
represents this subspecies, as it agrees with the two other skulls in the great
breadth, 46 mm., of the combined nasals (these are 48.5 and 42 mm. respectively
in the two other skulls). By some accident the left horn core of this skull had
been broken off, but was completely covered by horn, smoothly worn.
In addition to the skins and skulls, Mr. Zappey brought back a half dozen
pairs of horns, still attached to the occipital portion of their respective skulls.
These are without data and hence are not subspecifically identifiable. The
largest pair measures from the base at the outer side to the tip in a straight line,
257 mm. This pair is further remarkable in that the horns instead of diverging
evenly from the base, after bowing out slightly for the first three quarters of their
length are approximated toward their tips so that the latter are scarcely 33 mm.
apart.
CAPRICORNIS SUMATRENSIS MILNE EDWARDSI (David).
A skin with skull, taken at Tachienlu, western Szechwan, at an altitude of
10,000 feet, seems undoubtedly to represent this eastern Tibetan Serow, which
here must be nearly at the eastward limit of its range. The coloration of the
fore legs, which is considered of diagnostic value in separating the various races
of Serows, is nearly uniform cinnamon rufous with some admixture of buffy
hairs, but no suggestion of the dark blackish metacarpal patches of the race
argyrochaetes. The mane is also rather more conspicuously whitish. In the
skull, which is that of an adult male, the greatest combined breadth of the nasals
is markedly less (33 mm.) than in the skulls of the latter, and the entire nasal
region is more arched and laterally compressed.
I have followed Pocock and Lydekker in considering this Serow as a race
of the type species from Sumatra. It seems probable, however, that it might
with equal propriety be considered a distinct species as their ranges have not
been shown to be strictly continuous.
CERVIDAE.
ELAPHODUS CEPHALOPHUS Milne Edwards.
An adult female, from Putze, Hupeh, agrees in cranial proportions with
those given by Milne Edwards for his specimens from Moupin. The collector's
204 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
measurements in the flesh, are: — total length, 1700 mm.; tail, 70 mm.; hind
foot, 440 mm.; height at shoulder, about 720 mm.
The skull, compared with that of topotypes of E. michianus from Ningpo,
in the collection of the Museum, shows strikingly larger proportions than the
small coastal form, and as pointed out by Lydekker, the two animals are
probably distinct species. The latter author has recently (1904) described as
new the tufted deer of Ichang (Elaphodus ichangensis) on the basis of two skins
and skulls from that vicinity. But one of these is adult and though the differ-
ences between the supposed new form and michianus are apparent enough, the
only character separating ichangensis from cephalophus is the supposed greater
size of the latter. Lydekker gives the "basicranial length" of the male Ichang
deer as 6| inches, against 7j inches for the corresponding measurements of a
female cephalophus. This dimension in our adult female, from the same province
as ichangensis is about 7i inches. For the present, therefore, it seems prefer-
able to consider our specimen as representing cephalophus.
MUNTIACUS LACRYMANS (Milne Edwards).
Hilzheimer (1906), has described a new Muntjac under the name of Cervulus
sinensis, basing his diagnosis on a single skin and skull from Kiukiang on the
middle Yangtze. The characters given are of a comparative nature and some-
what intangible, but the author considers his new species to be intermediate
between the coastal reevesi and the upland lacrymans described from Moupin.
Mr. Zappey obtained a series of seven skins and skulls from Ichanghsien and
Changyanghsien, Hupeh, which should therefore probably represent sinensis.
I am unable, however, to find any characters, that might not be other than
individual peculiarities, to distinguish these from lacrymans as described by
Milne Edwards. The distinctive features of the skull claimed by Hilzheimer
do not seem to be constant in the series studied, and until more detailed com-
parisons can be made with typical specimens it seems better to consider the latter
as representing lacrymans. A similar conclusion has been reached by Professor
Matschie (1908). No doubt the two species reevesi and lacrymans will be found
to intergrade, and thus to constitute geographical races rather than distinct
species.
HYDRELAPHUS INERMIS (Swinhoe).
A fine series of eighteen water deer was obtained in Hupeh, all at or near
Kwangtitze, on the Yangtze River. The type locality of inermis is Chinhiang
near the mouth of this same river. Hilzheimer (1906), has described as new,
ALLEN: MAMMALIA. 205
Hydropotes kreyenbergi on the basis of a single male skull, unaccompanied by
skin, from Hankow, also on the Yangtze, in east central Hupeh. Our specimens
should thus be referable to the latter species if it is really distinct, but this does
not seem clear from the material at present available. Hilzheimer bases his
distinction on slight cranial differences, which may be more or less individual
and which are mainly derived from a comparison of figures. These differences
are chiefly: — (1) in inermis the rostral portion of the skull in front of the orbit
is about thrice the length of the orbit, while in kreyenbergi it is but 2z times this
distance; (2) the least breadth of the combined nasals is in inermis somewhat
more than | their greatest combined breadth; whereas in kreyenbergi they are
so narrow that their least combined breadth is at most equal to one half their
greatest combined breadth; (3) in kreyenbergi the upper rim of the orbit is so
protuberant that in profile view it hides the median roof of the skull at that
point, which is not the case in inermis.
In the skulls from Hupeh, these characters are not borne out. Thus in a
male from Kwangtitze, the nasals are hardly narrowed distally and at the narrow-
est point their combined breadth is exactly three fourths the total width at
the widest point as in inermis. The orbit is contained three times and a slight
fraction in the length of the preorbital part of the skull, and the upper orbital
rim is on a level with the interorbital parietes. The series shows more or less
individual variation in all these characters, and the females as a rule have rather
narrower nasals and a more compressed rostrum than the males. Unless there-
fore, other characters can be discovered, the water deer of the upper and the
lower Yangtze must be -considered identical.
MOSCHUS SIPANICUS Buchner.
Owing to ceaseless persecution by the Chinese, the Musk deer has been
nearly exterminated in the country where Mr. Zappey collected. The musk
glands are keenly sought and much esteemed by the Chinese. In the moun-
tains of western Szechwan, at Shuowlow, a single male was shot at an altitude
of 14,000 feet. Although others were seen they were so shy that it was impossible
to approach within range.
SUIDAE.
Sus MOUPINENSIS Milne Edwards.
Near Tachienlu, in western Szechwan, the skull of a wild pig was procured,
which undoubtedly represents Milne Edwards's Sus moupinensis. The skull is
206 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
that of an old female, with the teeth all present, yet greatly worn down. The
condylar region has been broken away, but otherwise the specimen is in excellent
condition. Apparently no recent comparisons have been made between this
species and those close to it geographically, nor am I able to throw further light
on its relationships, though allowing for the worn condition of the teeth in the
specimen studied, it seems rather close to the Indian Sus cristatus. The vertex
of the skull, however, is strikingly broader. The following measurements in
millimeters are taken from this skull : — greatest width at vertex, 63 ; greatest
postorbital width, 120; greatest zygomatic width, 142; length from median
border of vertex to tip of nasals, 306; length of nasals, 174; greatest combined
width of nasals, 35; palatal length, 222; upper molar row, 130; lower molar
row, 115; length of mandible, 282; last upper molar, 37 X 22; last lower molar,
41.5 X 19.
LEPORIDAE.
LEPUS SWINHOEI FILCHNERI (Matschie).
A series of nine winter and two summer skins with skulls, appears to repre-
sent this inland race of the common Chinese hare. All were taken in Hupeh
in the region about Ichang-, but none was obtained in the more western province
of Szechwan. These specimens agree well enough in color with those described
by Swinhoe and Matschie, though without topotypes of the Chefoo hare of Swin-
hoe, no direct comparison can be made. With the latter, indeed, Thomas has
suggested that filchneri of Matschie is identical, but Dr./. A. Allen (1909, p. 426)
considers that it is probably a valid subspecies and points out that inland animals
from southern Shensi have shorter rostra than those from the coast as indicated
by Swinhoe's measurements (1870, p. 449). On this account and on the proba-
bility that the inland animals would be slightly differentiated from those on the
coast 1,200 miles away, Dr. Allen deems it best to regard Matschie's Lepus
filchneri from southern Shensi as a distinct race, although the original descrip-
tion contains nothing that is particularly diagnostic. Our specimens agree
with those from Shensi in the shortness of the measurement from the postorbital
notch to the tip of the nasals as compared with, that given by Swinhoe for his
Chefoo hare.
Thomas has further indicated that Matschie's Lepus stegmanni is doubtless
synonymous with L. swinhoei or the present subspecies, since the speckling of
the black upper tail surface with lighter hairs is not a constant character but
ALLEN: MAMMALIA. 207
occurs occasionally in any series of this species from a given locality. One or
two of the specimens studied show this same variation.
LEPUS SECHUENENSIS deWinton and Styan.
A single male taken at the Ramala Pass, in western Szechwan represents
this species. The peculiar grayish blue of the backs of the ears, and of the
rump, thighs, and tail have been noted by the describers as markedly character-
istic. The ears are strikingly long and the hind feet are stout and heavy. The
only measurement given in the original description of this hare is that of the
skull length — 97 mm. The following are the dimensions of the specimen
studied: — total length, 533 mm.; tail, 70; hind foot, 120; ear from anterior
base in the dried skin, 130. The skull measures: — greatest length, 90.5 mm.;
basal length, 73; palatal length , 40 ; greatest length of nasals, 36 ; median length
of nasals, 28; greatest breadth of nasals, 17; zygomatic breadth, 43; mastoid
breadth, 36; greatest breadth outside upper molars, 22.7; length of palatal
foramen, 23.5; mandible from condyle to tip of incisors, 72; alveolar length of
upper tooth row, 14.7; alveolar length of lower tooth row, 15.
Notwithstanding that the ears are longer and the skull larger than in the
preceding species, the audital bullae are notably smaller.
OCHOTONIDAE.
OCHOTONA HODGSONI (Blyth).
This mouse-hare seems to be somewhat widely distributed in the high
mountains of western Hupeh and Szechwan. A series of eleven specimens repre-
senting various ages, was collected at the following localities: — Fanghsien,
9,000 feet; Washan, 8,200 to 11,000 feet; Lianghokow, 13,000 feet; Tachiao,
12,000 to 13,000 feet; Shuowlow, 13,000 to 14,000 feet. The series shows
more or less variation in color from a general cinnamon to nearly bistre.
The under parts vary according to age or season from grayish white to pale buff.
The pelage when fully developed is remarkably full and long. Bonhote in his
review of the Old World species of this genus, records specimens of hodgsoni
from eastern Sikkim, "Gannsu in N. Thibet," and from Szechwan, whence also
it has been described by Milne Edwards under the name "tibetanus." The
specimen from western Hupeh probably marks the general eastward bounds of
its range.
208 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
OCHOTONA HUANGENSIS (Matschie).
Professor Matschie (1908) has named as new a mouse-hare of the daurica
group from the upper Yangtze, and to this species I have provisionally referred
an immature specimen that evidently is of the same group. Its coloration above
is a general dark gray, buffy behind the ears and on the neck, with a tuft of buffy
hairs at the inner base of the ear. The vibrissae are unusually long, mostly
whitish, and the pelage is very fluffy, almost woolly. It was taken at Yachiakun,
in western Szechwan, at an altitude of 12,500 feet.
OCHOTONA ERYTHROTIS (Biichner).
Four specimens of this large species were taken at Nachuka, at altitudes
between 10,000 and 12,000 feet, and a single one at Ramala Pass, 15,500 feet, all
in western Szechwan, on the eastern borders of Tibet. The species is known from
Kansu and from the Burchan Budda Mountains of northeastern Tibet, where
it was obtained by the Prjewalski Expedition. The present records therefore
extend its known range well to the southward. The measurements of the five
adults, as taken by the collector, follow:—
Hind
No.
Locality.
Total Length.
Tail.
Fool.
7587
Ramala Pass
191
7
35
7588
Nachuka
165
6
34
7589
Nachuka
204
7
35
7590
Nachuka
203
7
35
7591
Nachuka
215
6
35
The skull of No. 7591 measures:— greatest length, 48.2 mm.; basal length,
40.5; palatal length, 19; combined incisive and palatal foramina, 14 ; zygbmatic
breadth, 24.2; interorbital constriction, 5; mastoid breadth, 21.7; mandible
from condyle to tip of incisor, 34.6; upper molar row, 9; lower molar row, 9.
SPALACIDAE.
RHIZOMYS VESTITUS Milne Edwards.
Five specimens of this Bamboo rat were obtained at Washan, in western
Szechwan, at from 8,000 to 9,000 feet altitude. The species was described by
Milne Edwards on the basis of two immature examples sent by Pere David from
the region of Kokonow, northeastern Tibet, some four hundred miles north of
Washan. Our specimens seem to represent the same species, however, though
the measurements differ slightly. Milne Edwards intimated that the dimensions
ALLEN: MAMMALIA. 209
lie gave were probably not maximum and this is undoubtedly true. Our smallest
specimen is immature, and its skull agrees almost exactly in size and proportions
with that figured by the describer. The four others are adult and considerably
larger. The collector's measurements of these follow: —
No.
7560
Total Length.
451
Tail.
89
Hind Foot.
60
7561
434
76
58
7562
395
61
57
7563
386
55
52
The skull of No. 7562 measures: — greatest length, 75 mm.; basal length,
72; palatal length, 48.5; zygomatic breadth, 60; mastoid breadth, 36; inter-
orbital constriction, 11; mandible from condyle to. tip of incisor, 61.5; alveolar
length of upper cheek teeth, 17; alveolar length of lower cheek teeth, 15; upper
diastema, 24; lower diastema, 12.5.
Three of the four adults have a midventral white streak on the chest.
MURIDAE.
MYOSPALAX FONTANIERI (Milne Edwards).
This species was originally described on the basis of a specimen from Pekin,
and later Milne Edwards recorded others from Siwan, sixty miles to the north-
west. Thomas (1908a, p. 978) has recently recorded the species from the Ordos
Desert in the Province of Shensi, and from localities in the Province of Shansi
to the eastward. Two specimens were obtained by Mr. Zappey in Hupeh, at
Showlungtan and Kongchikow respectively, constituting apparently the most
southeasterly localities yet known for the genus. While seemingly representing
Milne Edwards's species, it is possible that they may eventually prove to con-
stitute a slightly different race. In cranial characters they agree closely with
M. fontanieri as figured by Milne Edwards in his "Recherches." They seem to
differ, however, in the absence of a white median streak in the forehead, although
in both our examples there is more or less white about the muzzle and on the
upper and lower lips. This marking was believed by Milne Edwards to be
inconstant, but Thomas found some trace of it in all of his eleven specimens
from Shensi and Shansi. Moreover the nose pad in our two specimens is pro-
duced at its upper median border into a somewhat mitre-shaped lobe instead of
being evenly rounded dorsally as figured by Milne Edwards. The exact value
of these differences is not clear in the lack of material for comparison. From
210 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
M . cansus they differ in smaller size, and from the recently described M. rufes-
cens in this and certain cranial characters as noted by Dr. J. A. Allen (1909).
The measurements of the two specimens as taken by the collector are : —
No. Sex. Total Length. Tail. Hind Foot.
7130 9 193 38 31
7131 cf 190 35 27
The skulls show that the two specimens are nearly comparable in age, yet
that of the female is the smaller. Thomas has pointed out the fact that the
skulls of M . cansus show a sexual differentiation of a similar nature, those of the
males being markedly the larger. The dimensions of the two skulls follow,
those of the male in each case first: — greatest length, 39, 37; basal length,
33.5, 31; palatal length, 21, 19.5; diastema, 11.3, 11.2; zygomatic breadth,
26.5, 24.4; interorbital constriction, 8, 8; mastoid breadth, 21.8, 18.5; median
length of nasals, 14.4, 13.5; mandible from condyle to tip of incisor, 27.2, 25.8;
upper molar row, 9.5, 8.4; lower molar row, 10, 9.
MICROTUS MANDARINUS (Milne Edwards).
This rare mouse is represented by six skins and skulls, three from Ramala
Pass (at 16,000 feet) and three from Shuowlow (13-15,000 feet), in western
Szechwan on the border of Tibet. Milne Edwards described this field mouse
from Chinese Mongolia where it was obtained by Pere David. His figure and
description of the exterior (Recherches hist. nat. mammiferes, 1868-74, p. 129,
pi. 12, fig. 4) probably refer to a highly colored specimen as none of the five
studied is so brightly ochraceous as he indicates, though in other respects the
agreement is close enough. In his figures of the teeth on plate 13, the figures
4c and 4d are interchanged, being the lower and upper molar series respectively.
All our specimens agree in color, having the dorsal surfaces a finely grizzled
mixture of ochraceous and black-tipped hairs, the lower surfaces gray, with
plumbeous bases to the hairs. The tail is short and bicolor like the body.
The measurements in the flesh of five specimens are : -
No.
Length.
Tail.
Hind Foot.
7793
120
28
17
7794
123
23
16
7795
119
23
16
7796
12S
24
16
7797
134
27
17
The skull of No. 7796 measures: — total length, 23 mm.; basal length, 21;
palatal length, 13; zygomatic breadth, 13.6; interorbital constriction, 3.7;
ALLEN: MAMMALIA. 211
mastoid breadth, 11; mandible from condyle to tip of incisor, 17; upper molar
row, 5.4; lower molar row, 5.3.
Mr. Oldfield Thomas (1909, p. 976) has recorded two specimens of this
species from the Province of Shansi, twelve miles northwest of Kolanchow at
an altitude of 7,000 feet.
MICROTUS CHINENSIS Thomas.
The type of this vole was taken from the stomach of a snake at Kiatingfu
in western Szechwan. At Washan, western Szechwan, Mr. Zappey obtained
a series of twenty-one skins at altitudes of from 6,000 to 10,000 feet and
Thomas (1911, p. 175) has recorded specimens from Omeihsien and 23 miles
south of Tachienlu. The remarkable development of the third upper molar,
the comparatively long tail, the presence of six pads on the sole of the hind foot,
and the possession of four mammae are peculiarities already pointed out by
Thomas and used by Miller as the basis of the separation of this species as
the type of the subgenus, Anteliomys.
MICROTUS (EOTHENOMYS) MELANOGASTER (Milne Edwards).
Apparently this is a commonly distributed species in the highlands of
southwestern China. Mr. Zappey obtained specimens from Hsientientze and
Changyanghsien, Hupeh, and from Washan in western Szechwan, at altitudes of
from 4,150 feet at the second locality to 8,000 feet at the last named. Thomas
has also recorded it from northwestern Fukien. One specimen of our series is
partially albinistic with a white median ventral line from the chin to a point
between the fore legs where it joins a small white patch some 14 mm. in trans-
verse diameter.
The measurements of an adult, No. 7800, taken in the flesh by the collector,
are:— total length, 129 mm.; tail, 39; hind foot, 16. The skull of No. 7802
measures: — greatest length, 23.4; basal length, 21.5; palatal length, 12.2;
zygomatic breadth, 13; mastoid breadth, 11; interorbital constriction, 4; man-
dible from condyle to tip of incisor, 16.2; greatest depth of mandible from coro-
noid process, 7.6; upper cheek teeth, alveoli, 6; lower cheek teeth, alveoli, 6.1.
MICROTUS (EOTHENOMYS) AURORA, sp. nov.
Type: — Skin and skull No. 7788 M. C. Z., male, from Changyanghsien,
Hupeh, China. February 2, 1909, Walter R. Zappey.
212
SOME CHINESE VEHTEMIATES.
General Characters: — Larger than M. (Eothe-nomys) melanogaster, pelage
long and soft, ears rather small. Color reddish brown above, and dark slate
washed with brownish below. Skull large, with rather prominent postorbital
shelf-like ridges; teeth essentially as in M. melanogaster, but the third upper molar
longer and with a long, narrow external heel.
Color: — Dorsal surface of body, forehead, and cheeks, nearly "tawny"
of Ridgway, with peculiar bright yellow brassy reflections. The individual
hairs are about 11 mm. long, dark slate-black except at the tips which are tawny
to tawny-ochraceous; mixed with these hairs are others of the same fine texture
but slaty black throughout, so that a general tawny appearance is produced in
which the black is less conspicuous than in those species that have the black hairs
longer than the general body hairs. The muzzle is a grizzled gray without tawny.
Sides of the body hardly lighter than the back, the color grading insensibly into
that of the ventral surface which is gray washed conspicuously, except on the
thighs and throat, with ochraceous buff. The slaty bases of the hairs show
through everywhere so as to darken the grayish of the belly but not to such
an extent as to produce the blackish seen in
the ventral surfaces of M. melanogaster.
Tail covered with short blackish hairs
above, which become slightly grayish below, so
that the tail is indistinctly bicolor. Feet with
short brown hairs, nearly Prout's brown, with
grayish reflections. The short round ears are
thinly covered with minute hairs of a similar
color.
Skull: — Compared with that of M. melano-
gaster, the skull is larger and heavier, with more
prominent ridges and angles. The postorbital
processes protrude as narrow shelf-like ridges,
and the zygomata are stouter and more bowed.
The palate is marked by two shallow longi-
tudinal grooves that end posteriorly each in a
deep pit or perforation of the palate. The
hinder margin in the type is practically straight across, though in another speci-
men it is slightly protuberant medially, yet not forming a spinous process.
The enamel pattern of the first upper molar (Figs. A, B) consists of four
closed triangles, succeeded by a fifth space in which the two folds of opposite
Microlus (Eothenomys) aurora. Type-
No. 7788. A, Enamel pattern of right
upper molars; B, Enamel pattern of
right lower molars.
ALLEN: MAMMALIA. 213
sides are confluent medially. There are three salient angles externally and four
internally. The second upper molar is essentially similar but with one less
triangle, so that there are three salient angles on each side and the enamel folds
of opposite sides are partly open at their bases. The third upper molar has the
usual anterior tranverse prism succeeded by two nearly opposite folds, then a
trefoil of three lobes, two internal, one antero-external, so that the tooth has three
external and four internal salient angles or slightly rounded lobes.
The anterior lower molar consists of an anterior closed enamel space having
one external and two internal projections, followed by three transverse spaces
formed by the confluence medially of the enamel folds of opposite sides. This
tooth has therefore four external and five internal salient angles. The second
lower molar is of the usual three transverse prisms formed by the confluence of
the enamel folds of opposite sides. The third lower molar is similar but the
external reentrants are shallow notches while those of the internal side are deep
and run forward at a strong angle to the longitudinal axis. Each of these two
last teeth has thus three external and three internal angles.
Measurements: — The measurements of the type and three other specimens,
taken in the flesh by the collector, follow:—
Total
No.
7788 Type.
7185
Length.
148
145
Tail.
43
41
Hind Foot.
18.5
15
7186
147
48
17
7188
139
40
16
The skull of the type presents the following dimensions: — • greatest length,
25.8; basal length, 23.3; palatal length, 13; zygomatic breadth, 14.3; interorbi-
tal constriction, 4.4; mastoid breadth, 11.8; upper diastema, 6.7; mandible
from condyle to tip of incisor, 17; alveoli of upper molars, 6; alveoli of lower
molars, 5.8.
Remarks: — Four specimens of this interesting species were secured by Mr.
Zappey, in Hupeh, three at Changyanghsien and one at Kwangpow. It is a
very rusty-looking animal approaching a dark Evotomys in color above, due in
part to the suppression of black hairs, while the tawny wash on the belly is
remarkably unlike the color of M . melanogaster or the next species about to be
described. In these respects it probab'y approaches M. (Caryomys) inez,
recently described by Mr. Oldfield Thomas (1909, p. 976) from the mountains
of Shansi and differs equally from his newly described M. melanogaster eleusis
from northern Yunnan which it approaches in size. It is noteworthy that Mr.
214 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
Zappey did not find any representative of the subgenus Caryomys (Thomas,
1911, p. 175), four species of which are now known, alcinous, inez, nux, and eva.
MlCROTUS (EOTHENOMYS) MUCRONATUS, Sp. HOV.
Type:— Skin and skull No. 7789 M. C. Z., female adult, from Tachiao,
western Szechwan, at an altitude of 12,000 feet. August 11, 1908, Walter R.
Zappey.
General Characters: — A large Eothenomys, with larger. ear and hind foot,
browner color, longer and fuller pelage than M. melanogaster. Skull larger
than that of M. aurora with distinctly bowed zygomata, broader muzzle, and
with deeper palatal grooves and a prominent median spine at the posterior edge
of the bony palate. Third upper molar with but six prominent angles and its
posterior heel nearly bilaterally symmetrical.
Color: — Entire upper surface of the body a fine grizzle of blackish hairs
and hairs with cinnamon-rufous tips, producing a general "mummy brown"
tone. The bases of the hairs are dark slaty black, with the cinnamon-rufous
confined to a space of a millimeter or two at the tip. Under a lens, many of these
rusty-tipped hairs are seen to have a very fine darker point. The lower surfaces,
including the upper lips and base of the nose are dark slate color with a very
slight buffy wash between the fore legs. Feet and tail covered with short hair-
brown hairs, those of the latter slightly paler ventrally.
Skull: — In general appearance the skull is like that of a large M . melano-
gaster but the zygomata are more bowed. The palatal region shows several
striking peculiarities. The palatal grooves, which in melanogaster are so shallow
as to be scarcely appreciable, in mucronatus are deep and conspicuous, running
one from each of the incisive foramina to near the posterior edge of the palate,
where in both species they end in two pit-like perforations. The bony palate
instead of ending in an evenly truncated shelf, has 'a prominent median spine
as in M. chinensis of the related subgenus Anteliomys. The lower jaw is very
massive and strikingly broad in side view as compared with M. aurora and M.
melanogaster.
The teeth are essentially as in the latter species, but much heavier through-
out (Figs. C, D) . The first upper molar shows the usual large anterior transverse
prism succeeded by three closed triangles and a posterior enamel space which is
formed by the confluence of two small folds of opposite sides, the outer of which
is slightly in advance of the inner. There are thus three external and four
ALLEN: MAMMALIA.
215
internal salient angles. The second upper molar consists of three closed trans-
verse prisms, the outer angles of which are slightly in advance of the correspond-
ing angles of the inner side. The tooth has
three salient angles on each side. The last
upper molar is much like the one preceding, but
the posterior enamel space, which has two small
and opposite prisms at its anterior end, is pro-
duced in the long axis of the tooth into a narrow
heel, with nearly parallel sides. There are there-
fore six salient angles in this tooth as in the sec-
ond molar. In the specimen figured, however,
there are indications of a small additional pair
of angles, one oh the outer and one on the inner
side of the posterior heel, and this condition I
also found in a specimen of M . melanogaster.
The first lower molar has four closed enamel
spaces the anteriormost with two mternal and
one external prominent projections; the three
other spaces, are formed by the confluence of
the prisms of opposite sides into a single trans-
verse space. The tooth has four external and five or even six internal salient
angles according as the very small antero-internal point is less or more devel-
oped. The second and third lower molars show each three transverse closed
spaces, and each has three salient angles on either face. The reentrants of the
third lower molar are somewhat deeper externally than in M . aurora.
Measurements: --The type and three other specimens were measured in
the flesh by the collector, as follows :-
D
Microtus (Eothenomys) mucronatus.
Type No. 7790. C, Enamel pattern of
right upper molars. D, Enamel pat-
tern of right lower molars.
Total
No.
Length 4
Tail.
Hind Foot.
Sex.
7789 Type.
144
39
19
9 ad.
7790
162
44
19
9
7791
105'
45
19
9
2803
130
37
19
9 imm.
The ears of the dried skins measure 11 or 12 mm. in length from the meatus.
which is 3 or 4 mm. greater than the corresponding dimension in skins of M,
melanogaster.
The skull of the type measures: — greatest length, 26; basal length, 23.8;
1 Probably a mistake since the skin as made up is quite as large as the other specimens and measures
137 mm. in length.
216 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
palatal length, 14.3; zygomatic breadth, 15.5; mastoid breadth, 12; interorbital
constriction, 4.6; mandible from condyle to tip of incisor, 18.4; greatest vertical
height of mandible at tip of coronoid process, 9; alveoli of upper molar row, 6.7;
alveoli of lower tooth row, 6.8.
Remarks: — The relationship of this species is undoubtedly with M. melano-
gaster. The enamel pattern of the molars is essentially similar and the coloration
not so brown as is that of M . aurora. The presence of a distinct median spine
at the posterior edge of the palate is apparently unusual in the subgenus and
recalls the condition in the subgenus Anteliomys, between which and Eothenomys
the new species may be somewhat annectent.
The fur of M. melanogaster is close and short, recalling that of the subgenus
Pitymys, and this in connection with the small ear may indicate that the species
is more subterranean in its habits than M . aurora or M . mucronatus in both of
which the fur is long and soft and the ear larger. From the former, M. mucrona-
tus is at once distinguished by its blacker coloration, quite without the rusty
tinge above and the brassy reflections, while the belly is blacker much as in
melanogaster. The slight but constant differences in the shape of the enamel
folds of the molars, as well as the more massive skull with the deep palatal grooves
and prominent median spine are further striking differences.
In addition to the type, Mr. Zappey obtained three other specimens, all
at Tachiao, western Szechwan, where however, he did not find any other species
of the subgenus. Milne Edwards in his original description of melanogaster
remarks on what he calls a brown phase of that species, occurring in the same
localities and it is not impossible that these brown animals are really the new
species here described. The skull, figured of natural size, seems to be a trifle
larger than that of our specimens of melanogaster, but the details of structure
as well as the description and measurements given in the text refer clearly to
the small black species.
The two species of the subgenus Eothenomys here described do not seem
referable to any of the half dozen forms lately described by Mr. Thomas from
western and southern China.
CRASEOMYS AQTJILUS, sp. nov.
Type: — Skin and skull No. 7190 M. C. Z., male adult, from Showlungtan,
Hupeh, China. May 17, 1907, Walter R. Zappey.
General Characters: — A very brown species, appearing superficially much
like a brown Microtus; tail long, more than half the length of head and body.
ALLEN: MAMMALIA. 217
Skull with well-developed ridges, zygomata slightly bowed, palate normal with
a slight median convexity at the posterior edge. Last upper molar with six
salient angles, the posterior enamel space somewhat Y-shaped.
Color: — Dorsal surface of the head and back a general dark rusty, between
russet and cinnamon of Ridgway. This is produced by a mixture of entirely
blackish hairs with others whose bases are slaty black with narrow tips of bright
tawny approaching orange-rufous. Under a lens, many of these latter hairs
are seen to have a minute dark tip. Towards the sides of the head and body
the bright-tipped hairs predominate producing a nearly clear tawny ochraceous.
A small dark patch in front of each thigh, about 10 mm. in vertical height by
5 mm. in length is of a slate-gray. Ears prominent and thinly clothed with
short hairs nearly Prout's brown in color.
Lips, ventral surface of the throat and limbs nearly gray No. 6 of Ridgway,
becoming whiter on the ventral surface of the body on account of the whitish
tips to the hairs which conceal the slaty bases. Upper surfaces of the feet
covered with short pale gray hairs. Tail bicolor, Prout's brown above, grayish
below, with a distinct pencil about 4 mm. long.
Five other specimens agree with the type in color except that one or two
have a faint buffy tinge to the gray hairs of the belly. All five are females and
do not show the spot on the hip that covers the lateral gland in the male.
Skull: — The skull has the general appearance of that of an Evotomys,
short and rather delicate but the postorbital ridges of the squamosal are more
prominent, the zygomata are slightly expanded, and the second upper and third
lower molar are distinctly encapsuled. The palate is normal but instead of end-
ing in a straight-edged shelf posteriorly, has a slight median convexity. The
palatal grooves are distinct but shallow from each of the incisive foramina, and
end in the usual perforation close to the posterior palatal margin. In all the
skulls this perforation is completely bridged by the bony palate. The ptery-
goids are nearly parallel distally and their hamular processes abut each against
the antero-internal end of the audital bulla. The diastema is practically as
long as the alveolar length of the molar row.
The teeth (Figs. E, F) show less complexity in the enamel pattern than those
of the Evotomys available for comparison, and there seems less tendency for
the triangles to be open. The first upper molar has the usual five spaces, all
closed, and three salient angles on each side, the internal more rounded than the
external. The second upper molar has four closed spaces as usual with three
external and two internal angles. The third upper molar resembles that of
Evotomys (" Phaulomys") smithi in its simplicity and approach to bilateral
218
SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
symmetry. It consists of an anterior transverse enamel space, succeeded by
two small closed triangles, the outer slightly in advance of the inner and more
sharply angular. Then follows a terminal Y-shaped space whose outer anterior
lobe is slightly the longer. The tooth has thus
three external and three internal salient angles.
No variation from the condition here described is
shown by any of the six specimens.
In the first lower molar of the type there are
four salient angles on either side. The posterior
enamel space is the usual transverse crescent, an-
terior to which are two inner and two outer alter-
nating closed triangles. The anteriormost closed
space has a small angle on either side at its poste-
rior end. The second lower molar has but two
closed triangles and at each end of the tooth a
transverse closed space, the anterior of which is
deeply cut by the first outer reentrant. The third
lower molar has the usual three transverse loops,
the anteriormost smallest and almost oval in out-
line. Like the preceding tooth, it has three ex-
ternal and three internal salient angles, but the outer reentrants are very much
shallower than the inner.
In Nos. 7189 and 7192, the antero-internal notch of the first enamel loop
of the first lower molar is so well developed that it nearly cuts off a fifth triangle
while in No. 7191 this reentrant is still deeper and completely cuts off this triangle
so as to produce two external and three internal closed triangles in addition to
the anterior loop and the posterior transverse crescent. In this specimen, there-
fore, there are four external and five internal salient angles. In No. 7194 this
tooth is as in the type.
Measurements: — The following measurements were taken in the flesh by
the collector: —
Craseomys aguilus. Type No.
7189. E, Enamel pattern of left
upper molars. F, Enamel pattern
of right lower molars.
Total
No.
Length.
Tail.
Hind Foot.
7189
152
57
17
7190 Type
160
59
20
7191
144
55
18
7192
157
55
19
7194
150
54
17
7196
145
52
19
Average
151
55
18
ALLEN: MAMMALIA. 219
The skull of the type measures : — greatest length, 23.8; basal length, 22;
palatal length, 12.3; upper diastema, 6.6; zygomatic breadth, 13.5; mastoid
breadth, 11.6; interorbital constriction, 3.5; mandible from condyle to tip of
incisor, 16.5; alveoli of upper molar row, 6; alveoli of lower molar row, 5.
Remarks: — The type, as stated, came from Showlungtan, Hupeh. The
five other specimens are from the same Province: two from Fanghsien at alti-
tudes respectively of 7,600 and 9,000 feet; one from Wansonshan at 7,225 feet,
and the two others from the type locality, altitude not noted. It is doubtless
a boreal representative found at the higher altitudes, and is the most southern
species of its genus hitherto discovered in China. In its brown Microtus-like
coloration and its molar pattern with the simple structure and approach to
bilateral symmetry of the upper third molar, it seems to approach Evotomys
(Phaulomys) smithi of Thomas, from Hondo, Japan. It is quite unlike the
other described species of Craseomys from southeastern Asia — the large-bodied,
richly colored C. regulus of Korea and North China, and the large pale C. shanseius
from the Province of Shansi.
According to Anderson (1909) who has recently compared a large series of
Evotomys smithi there is much doubt if the subgenus Phaulomys, based on that
species, is really distinguishable.
APODEMUS AGRARIUS NINGPOENSIS (Swinhoe).
Thomas has recently shown that Apodemus antedates Micromys for the
small Mus-like species having three inner tubercles on the first and second upper
molars, and in his summary of the described forms of the agrarius group (Thomas,
1908b, p. 8) differentiates A. a. pallidior of the Shantung peninsula as a grayer
race than the more southern A. a. ningpo'ensis, in which, moreover, the dorsal
streak is usually obsolete. Mr. Zappey obtained a fine series of thirty skins
and skulls from Ichang and vicinity. These skins, although showing great
individual variation are probably best referred to ningpoensis, the type of which
came from Ningpo, on the coast, some six hundred miles to the west. All were
taken in December and January, 1908. In three the black dorsal line is splen-
didly marked from a point between the ears to the root of the tail, broad, clear,
and conspicuous. Three others have it nearly as well marked, but it begins
on the nape or between the shoulders. In four other skins, the stripe is still
well defined, but no longer clear black on account of a slight admixture of the
buffy hairs of the rest of the back. In the remaining twenty specimens the stripe
220 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
is more or less obsolete; in six or seven it is scarcely noticeable except as a slightly
darker median band. There is said to be no trace of a dorsal stripe in the type
specimen of this race. In size and cranial measurements our specimens seem to
agree with the dimensions given by Bonhote (1905, p. 397). Mr. Zappey did
not obtain this species higher up the valley so that it may be of lowland distribu-
tion. Bonhote, however, records A. a. manchuricus from southern Shensi.
APODEMUS MINUTUS PYGMAEUS (Milne Edwards).
A young, though nearly full-grown specimen was taken at Changyanghsien,
Hupeh, November 16, 1907, but elsewhere the species was not met with. It was
originally described from Szechwan by Milne Edwards, and Bonhote (1905)
records specimens in the British Museum from Kuatun and Shanghai.
APODEMUS SYLVATICUS DRACO (Barrett-Hamilton).
A series of twenty-five specimens of the long-tailed field mouse seems, after
careful comparison, to represent but this single race, although they come from
widely separated localities, namely: — Changyanghsien 8,000 feet, Fanghsien,
8,500 feet, and Showlungtan, Hupeh; Mohsimien 8,000 feet, Washan, 6,000 to
9,000 feet, Lianghokow, 12,000 feet, and Tachiao, 12,000 to 13,000 feet, in
Szechwan. About one third of the specimens have acquired the mature colora-
tion, a bright russet or ochraceous buff above and on the sides, with a dorsal
black area while the remainder exhibit various darker shades in which black
hairs predominate on the back and are mixed on the sides to a less extent. The
tails of these darker individuals are much less markedly bicolor than those of the
russet-colored adults. One of the latter from Washan is almost clear orange-
ochraceous, on the nape, shoulders, and sides, with but a slight admixture of
black hairs on the lower back. The collector's measurements for seven adults
average: — total length, 184 mm., tail, 95, hind foot, 23. Bonhote (1905) gives
186, 95, and 20 respectively. The skull of No. 7139, from Fanghsien measures :—
greatest length, 26.8; basal length, 21; palatal length, 12; upper diastema, 7;
incisive foramina, 4.5; nasals, 10.8; breadth of brain case, 12; upper molars,
4.4. These dimensions agree very closely with those given by Bonhote for
specimens from Kuatun, northwest Fukien.
APODEMUS MAJOR (Radde).
In the high mountains of western Szechwan near the eastern borders of
Tibet occurs a large field mouse evidently related to A. sylvaticus, that I have
ALLEN: MAMMALIA. 221
referred to Radde's " M us sylvaticus var. major" (Reis. Sib., 1862, 1, p. 180).
In his review of this group, Barrett-Hamilton (1900, p. 412) states that he has
seen no specimens but considers it as probably "the western Siberian representa-
tive of M. s. princeps" of southeastern Europe. He also believes that the speci-
mens obtained by Przewalski in the mountains of Kansu, and described by
Buechner as Mus chevrieri, are the same animal. In the absence of material for
direct comparison, our series agrees well enough with the description to make
this conclusion seem probable. Sixteen skins with skulls were collected by Mr.
Zappey at Lianghokow, 12,000 feet; Tachiao, 12,000 to 13,000 feet; Shuowlow,
13,000 to 15,000 feet; and Ramala Pass, 15,000 feet. Possibly these localities
indicate approximately the southeastern border of this mouse's range which may
thus extend north through Kansu to Siberia. The fact that at Tachiao it
occurs together with undoubted examples of the smaller A. sylvaticus draco seems
to indicate its specific distinctness from the latter. The coloration is decidedly
paler than in the latter, between buff and ochraceous buff above finely lined
throughout with black, especially on the mid-dorsal area; the tail is sharply
bicolor even in the immature examples; the feet are white, and the under parts
whitish, with the slaty bases of the hairs slightly showing through. The ears
are conspicuously large, measuring in the dried skins from 18 to 20 mm., as
against 15 and 16 for A. s. draco.
The following measurements were made by the collector in the field : —
Total
No.
7641
7642
Locality.
Lianghokow
Shuowlow
Length.
230
221
Tail.
113
117
Hind Foot.
27
25
7644
Shuowlow
220
110
27
7643
Shuowlow
231
112
26
7646
Tachiao
214
113
27
7648
Tachiao
211
109
26
Average (6) 221 112 26
Radde gives total length 215; tail, by calculation, 97; hind foot 24.
The skull is large, the teeth broad and heavy. The interorbital constriction
is so great that the external faces of the molars can be seen when the skull is
viewed from above. The supraorbital ridge extends backward to a point about
opposite the posterior root of the zygomatic arch. The notch formed by the
upper edge of the antorbital foramen is very much deeper in the long axis of the
skull than in the skull of A. s. draco. The following cranial measurements are
taken from No. 7644: — total length, 29.9; basal length, 23; palatal length,
14.6; nasals, 12; incisive foramina, 6 ; upper diastema, 7.2; zygomatic breadth.
222 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
14; interorbital constriction, 4.4; mastoid breadth, 12; greatest width outside
last upper molar, 6; length of mandible from condyle to tip of incisor, 19; upper
molar row, 5.3; lower molar row, 5.
An adult female has eight mammae, four pectoral, four inguinal.
Since the above was written, Mr. Thomas has described as Apodemus
speciosus latronum a field mouse from Tatsienlu which seems to be the same as
that here referred to A. major.
APODEMUS CHEVRIERI (Milne Edwards).
Originally described from the 'principality of Moupin,' this mouse has
remained rare in collections, if not practically unknown. At Washan, in western
Szechwan, Mr. Zappey obtained a series of thirteen specimens, at altitudes of
between 6,000 and 8,000 feet; and at Hsienshanhsien, Hupeh, a single male at
4500 feet, which though a trifle grayer than the Washan series is probably
identical. Barrett-Hamilton (1905) has considered this form as probably a
race of Apodemus sylvaticus, but it undoubtedly is a distinct species. Moreover,
it occurs in the same districts with A. s. draco. More recently Thomas (1911,
p. 172) made it a race of A. speciosus, but in a later paper (1912) received as this
goes to press, recognizes its specific rank. Milne Edwards's figure of ' M us chev-
rieri ' is very nearly matched by an adult female in our series, the brightest of
the specimens obtained. In general appearance, the majority are rather paler
ochraceous buff, everywhere on the back and sides lined with coarse black hairs
which are so evenly distributed over the entire upper surfaces of the head and
body as to produce an unusually uniform and equal admixture, scarcely darker
even in the mid-dorsal region. The lower surfaces of the body are gray, slightly
darkened by the dull slaty bases of the hairs showing through. The tail is
bicolor, without sharp line of demarcation, and the feet are whitish. The long
hair of the back tends to be hispid, which gives a much coarser appearance to
the pelage as compared with the full soft fur of A. s. draco for example. In one
old female, No. 7657, the hair is practically spiny. As shown in Milne Edwards's
figure (Recherches, pi. 40, fig. 2) the ear is short, its base partly concealed in the
fur, markedly smaller than in the specimens of the sylvaticus group available for
comparison (13 mm. in dried specimens). This fact as well as the shortness of
the hind foot are remarked by Milne Edwards. Barrett-Hamilton states that
Mr. Oldfield Thomas has examined the typical series in the museum at Paris,
and has noted the spiny character of the pelage in certain of the specimens.
ALLEN: MAMMALIA. 223
One measured by Mr. Thomas was 190 mm. in total length; tail, 90; hind foot,
21.5. The following measurements were made in the field by Mr. Zappey: -
Total
No.
7622
Length.
180
Tail.
84
Hind Foot.
24
7623
181
84
23
7625
183
85
24
7630
203
95
23
7631
204
106
22
7657
198
99
22
7658
199
102
24
Average (7) 192.5 93 23
The skull, compared with that of A. s. draco, is scarcely longer notwith-
standing that chevrieri is a larger animal. This is due to the relative short-
ness of the rostrum, which in draco is more elongated and slender. The
supraorbital crests are strongly developed and extend backward to a point
opposite the posterior zygomatic root. The teeth are conspicuously heavier,
the palate wider and the audital bullae larger than in draco. Following are
the measurements of the skull of No. 7657, from Washan: — greatest length,
28.3; basal length, 24.8; palatal length, 14.6; incisive foramina, 6; upper
diastema, 8; nasals, 11; zygomatic breadth, 13; mastoid breadth, 11.7;
interorbital constriction, 4.4; greatest breadth outside third upper molar, 5;
length of mandible from condyle to tip of incisor, 18.4; upper molar row, 5;
lower molar row, 4.6.
There are four pectoral and four inguinal mammae.
MTJS MUSCTJLUS Linne".
But a single specimen of the House mouse was obtained by Mr. Zappey,
this a female at Ichang, Hupeh. Bonhote (1905, p. 394) notes that this mouse
does not seem to be common in China though the British Museum has specimens
from widely separated localities in that country.
EPIMYS CONFUCIANUS (Milne Edwards).
Milne Edwards described this species from specimens collected by Pere
David in the mountains of Moupin and the Province of Szechwan. Mr. Zappey
obtained one at Kiating, in western Szechwan, which may therefore be consid-
ered practically a topotype. It is nearly identical with three other specimens.
224 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
obtained in Hupeh, at Ichang, Ichanghsien, and Changyanghsien, respectively.
Two of these taken in January seem to have completely assumed the winter
pelage which is soft and full. The other two, mid-November skins, are in process
of moult and retain numerous stiff spiny hairs in the dorsal areas. Although
the series is too small to warrant definite conclusions, it is possible that the
stiff hairs are more characteristic of the summer pelage, as in some species of
Apodemus. According to Thomas (1908b, p. 6) however, "the members of this
group are not known to change seasonally in this respect." In all four the tip of
the tail above as well as below is white for about the distal third.
Bonhote in his review of Chinese species of Mus (Epimys) , gives the follow-
ing dimensions: — head and body 164, tail 192, hind foot 39. These measure-
ments seem very large, since Milne Edwards in his original description gives
170, 165, and 30 mm. for the corresponding dimensions. Thomas, for the Chefoo
race, E. c. sacer, which he says is of about the same size, gives for extremes: —
head and body, 130-156; tail, 170-186; hind foot, 28-31. Bonhote's measure-
ment of the hind foot, 39 mm., must be a misprint, although used as a differential
character in his key.
Our specimen from Kiating, Szechwan, was measured by the collector as
follows: — head and body, 149; tail, 177; hind foot, 28-32.
EPIMYS JERDONI Blyth.
This is a hill species, originally described from Sikkim. Its distribution
is stated by Blanford (Mamm. Brit. India, 1888, p. 412) to be the eastern Hi-
malayas. At Ramala Pass on the eastern border of Tibet, and at an altitude
of 12,500 feet, Mr. Zappey obtained two specimens that seem undoubtedly to
represent this species, here probably nearly at the northeastern limit of its range.
Farther east its place seems to be taken by the closely allied E. confucianus.
The first of these specimens was captured August 11, 1908, and is in good sum-
mer pelage. The somewhat brighter ochraceous tint of the dorsal surface is
noticeably in contrast with that of specimens of E. confucianus, and the abun-
dance of whitish spines gives a slightly grayish cast to those parts where their
bases show through. The upper surface of the fore feet is clear white without
the dark median area of confucianus, and the tail is without a white tip. The
second specimen is slightly smaller but apparently of the same species. The
collector's measurements of these two are: — total length, 365, 360; tail, 192,
163; hind foot, 34, 30.
ALLEN: MAMMALIA. 225
EPIMYS ZAPPEYI, sp. nov.
Type: — Skin and skull No. 7607 M. C. Z., male adult, from Washan
Mountains, western Szechwan, China, at an altitude of 9,000 feet. October 26,
1908, Walter R. Zappey.
General Characters: — Resembling E. confucianus, but with darker face,
ears, and back, the ochraceous of the sides much richer and brighter, encroach-
ing more on the belly and extending on to the thighs and on the lower throat to
the axilla. Ventral surface pure white, without the faint sulphury suffusion.
Skull slightly smaller than that of E. confucianus with more slender rostrum and
zygomata, longer and narrower incisive foramina, narrower palate, and smaller,
more flattened bullae.
Color: — Muzzle and an ill-defined patch extending from the base of the
vibrissae to the ear, slate color; forehead and crown, nape, and a somewhat oval
mid-dorsal area a mixture of hairs mainly slate minutely tipped with ochraceous
buff, and longer hairs entirely black. The ochraceous buff tips in this area are
so restricted that the dark color predominates forming a darker and more pro-
nounced mid-dorsal area than in M. confucianus. Cheeks, sides of the neck,
upper surfaces of forearms, the flanks, inner sides of the thighs and lower legs,
and the anal region bright tawny ochraceous, only very slightly mixed with
scattering short black hairs. A small spot of the same color on the upper chest
medially between the fore legs. The color of the back and sides encroaches
farther on the belly than in M . confucianus and is sharply marked off from that
of the lower surfaces, which including the upper lips, chin, and throat, are clear
snowy white to the bases of the hairs, quite without the wash of sulphury found
in E. confucianus. Upper surface of fore and hind feet clove-brown medially,
the toes and borders white. Tail white ventrally and for the terminal third
dorsally, the proximal two thirds nearly clove-brown above, covered with minute
setae that become short hairs distally till they form finally a distinct pencil
about 6 mm. long.
Skull: — The skull of the type is evidently adult but not old; the teeth are
somewhat worn but the supraorbital ridges are not very strongly developed.
Compared with that of E. confucianus the rostrum and the zygomata are much
slenderer, the nasals narrower and more compressed laterally at their free end.
The incisive foramina are longer and narrower, not short and broadly expanded ;
the palate is narrower and the anterior end of the interpterygoid fossa scarcely
expanded. The audital bullae are conspicuously smaller and flatter.
226 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
Measurements: — The external measurements of the fresh specimen are
recorded by the collector as follows: — total length, 310; tail, 184; hind foot,
31. The size is thus practically as in E. confucianus. The measurements of the
skull follow, and for comparison the corresponding dimensions of E. confucianus
from No. 7605, from Kiating, western Szechwan are added in parentheses: —
greatest length, 35.5, (37); basal length, 29.7 (30.3); palatal length, 17 (17);
incisive foramina, 6.5 X 1.8 (5.4 X 2.8); nasals, 13 (15); zygomatic breadth,
16 (17.6); mastoid breadth, 12.7 (13.2); palatal width outside last upper molar,
6.1 (6.8); mandible from condyle to tip of incisor, 22 (22.5); upper molar row,
6 (6.2) ; lower molar row, 5.8 (6).
Remarks: — This is a species of the Epimys niveiventer group, and as already
pointed out, seems nearly related to E. confucianus. I should have hesitated to
describe the species on the basis of a single specimen were it not for its striking
color and cranial characteristics. It is not impossible, also, that as in case of
certain other vertebrates, it is a species that has become locally differentiated
and is confined to this isolated group of mountains. One of its noticeable
peculiarities is the encroachment of the lateral coloration on the venter, producing
a narrowed white median area, which is only about two thirds as wide as in
similarly prepared skins of E. confucianus.
I have named the species in honor of Mr. Walter R. Zappey, to whose zeal
and skill is due the discovery of this interesting animal.
EPIMYS NIVEIVENTER (Hodgson).
Four specimens from near the eastern border of Tibet seem to represent this
Himalayan species; two are from Ramala Pass at 12,500 feet and two from
Nachuka at from 11,000 to 12,000 feet in extreme western Szechwan. Probably
as in case of other Himalayan species, these highlands mark the eastern boundary
of the range of this rat.
EPIMYS LING (Bonhote).
This small rat, recently described by Bonhote from Chinfenling, in north-
western Fukien, seems to be a species of the lower elevations of eastern China.
At all events Mr. Zappey did not find it west of the Province of Hupeh. In
this province, however, he obtained ten specimens at the following localities : —
Changyanghsien, Chetzekow, Hsienshanhsien, and Ichanghsien, between alti-
tudes of 4,500 and 5,600 feet. The extremes measured by the collector are: -
total length, 250-280; tail, 135-170; hind foot, 26-31.
ALLEN: MAMMALIA. 227
EPIMYS FLAVIPECTUS (Milne Edwards).
Three specimens from Ichang, Hupeh, represent this species, which, though
originally described from Moupin, seems to be widely spread in southern China.
In but one is the white breast mark apparent, and all are a pale cream-buff
below. Two measured by the collector are as follows: — total length, 303, 325;
tail, 155, 178; hind foot, 34, 31.
EPIMYS GRISEIPECTUS (Milne Edwards).
The collection contains a single adult male that seems undoubtedly referable
to this rat, the type locality of which is Szechwan. Our specimen comes from
the same province, at Kiating. Bonhote points out that this rat differs strik-
ingly from E. flavipectus in its larger size. The bicoloration of the tail is scarcely
noticeable in the specimen studied, but the pure white fore feet as stated by
Bonhote, seem to be a character constantly distinguishing the species from
flavipectus, in which the upper sides of the feet are brown edged with whitish.
The color of the under parts is also a trifle whiter. The measurements of our
specimen, which seems to be of maximum size, are : — total length, 376 ; tail, 194 ;
hind foot with claws, 41. The skull measures: — greatest length, 47.4; basal
length, 41; palatal length, 25; nasals, 18.7; incisive foramina, 8.2; upper
diastema, 12.7; interorbital constriction, 6.3; zygomatic breadth, 21; mastoid
breadth, 17; mandible from condyle to tip of incisor, 30.5; upper molar row, 8;
lower molar row, 7.5.
EPIMYS NORVEGICUS (Erxleben).
A single adult was taken at Ichanghsien, Hupeh, and two immature examples
at Kiating, in western Szechwan. It is interesting to note how distinctly this
rat stands out from among the native species by its peculiarly coarse long pelage.
SCIURIDAE.
MARMOTA HIMALAYANUS (Hodgson).
Milne Edwards described this marmot from the mountains of Moupin as a
species distinct from himalayanus which he knew by descriptions only. He
supposed that it differed in color and named it Arctomys robustus, but DeWinton
and Styan (1899) agree with Blanford in considering it identical with hima-
228 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
layanus. Mr. Zappey obtained an adult female from Shuowlow, in the western
border of Szechwan, at an altitude of 15,500 feet and a smaller specimen from
Kaoerhshan, a few days later at a similar elevation. The color is less ochraceous
than that represented in Milne Edwards's plate, more nearly a cream-buff.
The adult specimen measured by the collector: — total length, 705; tail, 135;
hind foot, 88. The skull measures: — greatest length, 103; basal length, 94;
palatal length, 57; zygomatic breadth, 64; breadth between tips of postorbital
processes, 46; postorbital constriction, 17.3; mastoid breadth, 46; upper
diastema, 27 ; mandible from condyle to tip of incisor, 79 ; upper molar row, 23 ;
lower molar row, 22.3.
DREMOMYS PYRRHOMERUS (Thomas).
This squirrel has been recorded from Ichang, Hupeh, and Sinyang, Kweichow,
to the southwest. Mr. Zappey obtained three specimens from Hupeh, one at
Tongkowshih, and two from Changyanghsien. Two of the skulls measure as
follows: — greatest length, 57, 56.3; basal length, 44, 42; nasals, 19, 19.3;
zygomatic breadth, 31, 30; interorbital constriction, 17, 16; upper diastema,
13, 13.4; upper tooth row (excluding p3), 9.2, 9; lower molars, 9.8, 10.
DREMOMYS PERNYI (Milne Edwards).
Twelve specimens of this species were obtained by Mr. Zappey in the
mountains of western Szechwan at the following localities: — Tachienlu, 9,000
feet; Nachuka, 12,000 feet; Ramala Pass, 12,500-13,000 feet; and Shuowlow,
13,000 to 14,000 feet. Milne Edwards's specimens came also from Szechwan and
"les montagnes de la principaute de Moupin, ou elle parait fort rare." Six
adults were measured by the collector as follows: —
Total
No.
Sex.
Length.
Tail.
Hind Foot.
7571
<?
312
119
48
7573
9
328
150
50
7575
d1
335
150
50
7576
d"
345
153
52
7579
9
350
150
50
7580
rf1
350
156
49
Styan (in De Win ton and Styan, 1899) records this squirrel from western
Hupeh, northern Kweichow, Anhwei, northwestern Fukien, and Yunnan, and
states that it is a mountain species, probably not descending below 3,000 feet.
Two specimens collected by Mr. Zappey in the neighborhood of Ichang, Hupeh,
however, are quite different from our series of D. pernyi, and are here described
ALLEN: MAMMALIA. 229
as a new species, although it may eventually be found that intergradation takes
place between these eastern and the typical western representatives of the high
altitudes. Possibly also Styan's remarks apply in part to the undescribed
species.
DREMOMYS SENEX, sp. nov.
Type: — Skin and skull, No. 7582 M. C. Z., female adult, from Nantow,
Ichanghsien, Hupeh, China. February 5, 1909, Walter R. Zappey.
General Characters: — Nearest to D. pernyi, from which it differs in its
greater size, with notably longer tail and larger skull, in having the postauricular
patch white instead of deep ochraceous buff, and the median area of the ventral
surface of the tail nearly uniform clay color instead of whitish.
Color: — Forehead, top of head, neck, outer surface and anterior margin
of ears, dorsum, and external surfaces of fore and hind feet a uniform grizzled
olivaceous, the separate hairs with a plumbeous base, succeeded by one or often
two narrow rings of buff which are separated by a slightly longer black ring.
The tips of the hairs are black and in the dorsal region there are a few scattered'
hairs entirely black. Sides of the muzzle nearly clear gray; a poorly defined
eye ring of buff; cheeks washed with buff. Postauricular spots clear white.
Ventral surface of body from chin to anus and the inner surface of the limbs,
white washed with buff, especially on the outer edge of the thighs. The white
hairs of the chin and throat are very slightly gray at their bases, but those of
the rest of the under parts have the bases dark slate color. Anal region, posterior
edge of thighs and base of tail below, light orange rufous. Tail above mixed
black, pale buff, and white, the separate hairs ringed at the base with very pale
buff, then black, then buff, followed by a longer black ring and a grayish white
tip, that forms a bordering fringe. Ventrally the color is similar except that the
hairs of the central area of the tail are buff or clay color, slightly grizzled by the
black rings, and quite without the long white hairs that in D. pernyi predominate
in this area.
Skull: — The skull is similar to that of D. pernyi but slightly larger as shown
by the measurements below.
Measurements: — The collector's measurements of the type are: — total
length, 373; tail, 171; hind foot, 54. A second specimen from Ichanghsien,
No. 7583, d", measured:— total length, 375; tail, 176; hind foot, 52. The
skull of the type shows the following dimensions (the figures in parentheses are
those of a large specimen of D. pernyi) : — greatest length, 53 (51) ; basal length,
230 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
43 (41); palatal length, 25 (23.8); nasals, 17 (14.3); zygomatic breadth, 27
(27) ; mastoid breadth, 20.3 (20) ; interorbital constriction, 14 (13.8) ; greatest
breadth outside m3, 12 (11); upper diastema, 12 (12); mandible from condyle
to tip of incisor, 36 (35); upper molar row (excluding p3), 9 (9); lower molar
row, 9.3 (8.7).
Remarks: — Apart from its greater size and differently colored tail, the
most striking characteristic of this squirrel is the white postauricular patch.
In our series of D. pernyi from Szechwan, as well as in Milne Edwards's plate
(Rev. mag. zool., 1867, ser. 2, 19, pi. 19) and description, the bright ochraceous
buff of these patches is a marked feature.
SCIUROTAMIAS DAViDANUS (Milne Edwards).
A series of nine squirrels of this curious genus proves to be of. considerable
interest. Milne Edwards originally described Sciurus (Tamias) davidanus
from the environs of Pekin and pointed out the peculiar cranial characters
"which seem to ally it to the chipmunks (Tamias). Through the courtesy of the
United States National Museum, I have been loaned a topotype of this squirrel
which agrees well in color with that described by Milne Edwards. In his re-
marks under the head of "Sciurus pernyi," this author (Recherches, p. 304-305)
briefly describes, "Sciurus consobrinus" which he contrasts with the first-named
species, stating that in cranial characters it is almost exactly the same as S.
davidanus and evidently of the same "type sp6cifique." This squirrel came from
the principality of Moupin and is said to differ from S. davidanus from Pekin
in the possession of the reddish tones of the upper surfaces. The brief descrip-
tion given is sufficient to indicate the characteristic differences that separate
the uniformly grizzled pale ochraceous and black squirrel of Pekin from the
more western highland form with the posterior part of the back darker and redder,
in contrast to the grayer tint of the shoulders. These differences have been well
described by Dr. J. A. Allen (1909, p. 428) who names this darker form Sciuro-
tamias owstoni, on the basis of six specimens from Taipasiang, Shensi. Through
the kindness of Dr. Allen I have been enabled to compare this series with our
material from Hupeh, and there seems no doubt that the name consobrinus
is applicable to the dark reddish-backed form of which S. owstoni therefore be-
comes a synonym. Two of our specimens from Mafuling, Hupeh, (5,000 feet)
seem to be nearer S. davidanus than to the race consobrinus, and are here referred
to that species. A specimen from Tanshuiya, (3,000 feet) is also practically
ALLEN: MAMMALIA. 231
identical. Thomas (1911) mentions a specimen from 40 miles north of Kaichow,
southern Kansu.
SCIUROTAMIAS DAViDANUS coNSOBRiNUS (Milne Edwards).
Sciurolamias owstoni J. A. ALLEN, Bull. Araer. mus. nat. hist., 1909, 26, p. 428.
In western Hupeh, and doubtless through northern Szechwan and into
Shensi this darker, reddish-backed race of David's Squirrel is found. Four
specimens of our series from Chiliping, Fongshan, Moshuiping, and Hsienshan-
hsien are certainly representative of this subspecies, and are identical with S.
owstoni from Shensi. Thomas (1911, p. 169) has recently recorded other speci-
mens from Omeishan and from 23 miles south of Tachienlu. There is much
variation in the extent of the median white area on the throat. It is apparently
lacking or practically so in one of the specimens from Hsienshanhsien, but in
the other covers nearly the whole throat. In two others it is more restricted,
and appears in one as a narrow median streak. In the series of six specimens
of "owstoni," two have this white patch well marked, while in the type and one
or perhaps two of the others it is represented by a mere fleck.
SCIUROTAMIAS DAVIDANUS THAYERI, subsp. nov.
Type:— Skin No. 8008 M. C. Z., male adult, from Washan, western
Szechwan, China, at an altitude of 6,000 feet. May 17, 1908, Walter R. Zappey.
General Characters: — Similar to S. d. consobrinus, but much richer and darker
colored throughout, feet blackish, ears (in the type) nearly without white
postauricular patches; pelage very long and full.
Color: — Sides of the throat, cheeks, muzzle, and upper surface of head as
far as a line joining the bases of the ears a rich orange-ochraceous, nearly clear
at the sides of the throat and nose, but elsewhere mixed with a nearly equal
amount of black. An indistinct black stripe from below the eye to below the
ear; a sharply defined buff eye-ring. External surfaces of the ears seal-brown,
the postauricular white patches so restricted as to be unnoticeable. The upper
surface of the body is a finely grizzled mixture of black and orange-ochraceous
in which the black so predominates as to produce a very much darker color than
in the previous subspecies, and in the back there is a practical absence of the
reddish tone, though the shoulders are ticked with a slightly paler shade of
ochraceous which tends to be more conspicuous in a longitudinal line from
behind each ear producing a short and very ill-defined stripe. The hands and
232 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
feet are seal-brown to blackish above, the former with a very slight admixture
of ochraceous hairs.
Ventrally the colors are richer and darker than in consobrinus, the dark of
the sides encroaching nearly to the mid line of the venter and on the inside
of the limbs. Chest and mid ventral area washed conspicuously with tawny-
ochraceous; the bases of the hairs slaty. Median area of the throat pure white.
The basal fifth of the tail is colored above like the back; the rest is nearly
clear tawny with a black border and an outer fringe of white. The ventral
surface is similar but the tawny median area is partly obscured by long black
hairs tipped with white.
Measurements: — The type was measured in the flesh by the collector as
follows: — total length, 363 mm.; tail, 148; hind foot, 54.
Remarks: — This very well-marked race will probably prove to be confined
to the Washan Mountains, whose peculiar conditions and isolation seem to have
induced the differentiation of a number of local races or species. Unfortunately
the skull of the type was lost, and no other specimens were obtained. It appears,
however, to be sufficiently well characterized for recognition, and I have named
it in honor of Col. John E. Thayer through whose generosity the collection was
made possible.
TAMIOPS MACCLELLANDI swiNHOEi (Milne Edwards).
A single specimen of this prettily striped species was collected at Tachiao,
western Szechwan, September 20, 1908, at an altitude of 12,000 feet.
Milne Edwards based his description on specimens from the " principaute1
de Moupin." Our specimen is thus practically from the same locality, and since
I have found no good description of the species I append the following particulars.
Forehead and crown a grizzled gallstone-yellow and black; nape, shoulders,
flanks, and upper side of limbs olive becoming lighter on the sides and passing
into raw umber on the rump. Five black stripes on the back, the median dorsal
beginning on the nape, becoming broadest in the middle region of the back, then
narrowing to the base of the tail. A shorter but equally broad black stripe
on each side from shoulders to rump, the intermediate space clay color. A broad
clear stripe of pale ochraceous succeeds this black stripe laterally, on either side
and is bordered by a short and ill-defined blackish line; inner surface of the
ears pale ochraceous, outer surface bordered by black and provided with an
erect fringe of long white hairs. A buff line runs from the muzzle, below the
eye to the posterior base of the ear, and there is a narrow eye-ring of the same
ALLEN: MAMMALIA. 233
color. Below, the color is grayish washed with buff, particularly on the throat
and mid-ventral line. The tail is colored a mixture of black and raw umber
with a narrow buff border and a black tip.
Collector's measurements: — total length, 248; tail, 107; hind foot, 33.
The skull measures: — greatest length, 38.5; basal length, 30; palatal length,
17; zygomatic breadth, 21; interorbital constriction, 12.5; mastoid breadth,
16.6; mandible from condyle to tip of incisor, 25; upper molar row (excluding
p3), 6.9; lower molar row, 7.
Bonhote (1900, p. 52) in his synopsis of the squirrels of the macclellandi
group considers this a subspecies, though Trouessart in his "Catalogus" retains
it as a species.
SCIURUS CASTANEOVENTRIS BONHOTEi Robinson & Wroughton.
A series of eight specimens collected at the extreme western border of
Szechwan, at altitudes of from 10,000 to 13,000 feet, in Nachuka and Ramala
Pass, probably represents this newly described race. It seems closely related to
Sciurus castaneoventris of the southeast coast of China in the province of Fukien.
In his original description of that species Gray states that "the ears are gray."
The strikingly orange-rufous ears of our series together with the pale dorsal
coloration seem to characterize it distinctly, although in their brief diagnosis,
Robinson and Wroughton make no comparison with other races.
Matschie (1908, p. 210) has shown that the squirrel described by Hilzheimer
(1905) as Sciurus tsingtauensis is really the same as S. c. ningpoensis for it since
appears that the skin on which it was based came from the hills near Ningpo,
instead of from Tsingtau, to the north, as supposed.
Six adults were measured in the flesh by the collector as follows: —
Total.
No.
Locality.
Length.
Tail.
Hind Foot.
7826
Ramala Pass
405
200
55
7828 Type
Nachuka
405
185
53
7829
Nachuka
407
195
53
7830
Nachuka
417
185
53
78.32
Ramala Pass
390
184
53
7833
Nachuka
390
170
54
Average 402 186 53
The skull of the type measures: — greatest length, 51.8 mm.; basal length,
43.8; palatal length, 24.5; zygomatic breadth, 30.5; interorbital constriction,
17.6; mastoid breadth, 22.9; upper diastema, 11.5; mandible from condyle
to tip of incisor, 35.5; upper molar row, 10.2; lower molar row, 10.
234 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
PTEROMYS ALBO-RUFUS Milne Edwards.
A trade skin of this beautiful flying squirrel was obtained by Mr. Zappey
in the Province of Hupeh in 1907. It is identical in color with Milne Edwards's
fine plate 45 (Recherches hist. nat. mammiferes) .
FELIDAE.
FELIS INGRAMI Bonhote.
I have identified with this species a skin without skull obtained by Mr.
Zappey at Changyanghsien, Hupeh, in January, 1909. In color it is similar to
the specimen described by Bonhote (1903, p. 374) from the Wanchinshan Moun-
tains in the neighboring province of Kweichow with which it further agrees in
the shortness of the tail compared with the length of head and body. Bonhote
gives for dimensions: — head and body, 480; tail, 200; hind foot, 75. Our skin
measures (dried) much the same, except that the hind foot seems longer, but
exact measurements are now impossible to obtain.
FELIS SCRIPTA Milne Edwards.
A skin of a fine male from Suifu, western Szechwan, agrees well with Milne
Edwards's figures and description of the type from the same province, in the
principality of Moupin.
FELIS PARDUS FONTANIERI (Milne Edwards).
Two partially dressed leopard skins were obtained by Mr. Zappey from the
King of Tachienlu, western Szechwan. These seem undoubtedly to represent
Fontanier's Leopard, described by Milne Edwards from the neighborhood of
Pekin. The fur is thick and woolly, and the general color above is very pale,
nearly buff-yellow of Ridgway, agreeing well with the plates in Milne Edward's
"Recherches." One of these skins measures approximately 1800 mm. from
muzzle to tip of tail, and the tail alone measures about 760 mm. ; in the second
and larger skin these measurements are approximately 1950 mm. and 640 mm.
Milne Edwards gives 1920 and 750 for these two measurements respectively.
The black spots in our skins are apt to be somewhat brownish due to the
length of the chocolate-colored bases of the hairs. In the larger specimen,
the black areas on the back are somewhat confluent producing a very confused
and mottled pattern.
ALLEN: MAMMALIA. 235
The thick woolly fur of this leopard is indicative of its high mountain habitat
in Szechwan.
Cabrera (1910, p. 426) attempts to show that Gray's name japonensis
should replace fontanieri on the ground that Gray's specimen came probably
from North China instead of Japan, a conclusion that may prove well founded ;
but the name is inapplicable since it was previously employed by Boddaert for
a variety of the house cat.
FELIS PARDUS VARIEGATA (Wagner).
In the Yangtze valley, at Changyanghsien, Hupeh, Mr. Zappey shot a fine
adult male leopard, which is clearly a very different animal from fontanieri of
the Szechwan highlands. Compared with our skins of the latter from Tachienlu
it is larger and much richer in color, with more deeply black spots. The dorsal
tawny areas are between ochraceous and orange-ochraceous paling to buff on
the flanks. The spots are more sharply defined and of a deeper shining black.
The hair, too, notwithstanding that this is a winter specimen killed February 2,
1909, is comparatively much shorter (26 mm. in length mid-dorsally between
the shoulders as against about 40 in fontanieri) and without the woolly underfur
of the latter. The black hairs are only very inconspicuously chocolate-colored
at their extreme bases. The collector's measurements of this specimen in the
flesh are:— total length, 2080; tail, 850; hind foot, 260; height at the shoulder,
610. The skull is large and heavily built and does not appear to differ remarkably
in general proportions from that of fontanieri. It measures: — greatest length
from occiput to front of incisors, 228; condylobasal length, 201; zygomatic
breadth, 152; greatest breadth across supraorbital processes, 73; greatest length
of mandible, 151 ; length from back of upper molar to front of canine, 71 ; length
from back of lower molar to front of canine, 80.
This leopard probably represents the race inhabiting the lowland portion
of southeastern China and I have provisionally referred it to F. p. variegata,
whose range is supposed to be "Indo-China, Java, Sumatra" (Trouessart).
That the leopard of the coastal region of southeastern China is different from
those of India and North China was long ago pointed out by Swinhoe(1870,
p. 628), who says, "judging from skins procured at Canton, the Chinese race is
of a much richer yellow colour, and has the spots larger and blacker than is
usually seen in skins from India."
236 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
VIVERRIDAE.
•
VIVERRICULA PALLIDA (Gray).
A female from Ichang, Hupeh, agrees well with Bonhote's (1898, p 119)
description. The black collar is lacking on the under side of the throat, which is
•
uniformly colored like the belly. Above is a narrow black stripe on each side
of the neck, and an indistinct median one. The shoulders are without stripes
or spots, but the lower back and rump have five or six well-marked narrow, black
stripes. Matschie (1908, p. 198) has described as a new species Viverricula
hanensis on the basis of a skin from Hankow. It is said to differ from V. pallida
through the absence of a cross stripe on the shoulder and the possession of six
well-marked longitudinal stripes on the back and eight instead of six dark rings
on the tail. Our specimen has six rings with an indication of a seventh, but
otherwise does not materially differ from this description, though the longitudinal
stripes on the back might be considered as five, six, or seven owing to the indis-
tinctness of the outer ones. In view of the great variation in color of these
animals, as pointed out by Bonhote, and the fact that no cranial characters are
mentioned by Matschie, it seems best for the present to consider the Ichang
specimen as V. pallida. Its mesurements, taken by the collector, are: — total
length, 830; tail, 290; hind foot, 91.
The skull measures: — greatest length, 95; basal length, 88; zygomatic
breadth, 42; mastoid breadth, 30; length of bulla, 20; mandible from condyle
to tip of incisor, 65 ; upper tooth row (exclusive of incisors) , 37 ; lower tooth
row (exclusive of incisors), 41.
CANIDAE.
VULPES VULPES WADDELLI Bonhote.
A trade skin from Lhassa, Tibet, seems to be of this race, which according
to Bonhote, differs from V. v. flavescens of northwest India in having the mid-
dorsal area a bright red in contrast to the rest of the upper surface. In flaves-
cens this portion is more uniform and of a more brownish yellow.
NYCTEREUTES STEGMANNI Matschie.
Professor Matschie has briefly characterized several geographical races
of the Raccoon dog from eastern Asia in his report on the mammals of the
ALLEN: MAMMALIA. 237
Filchner expedition. In addition to N. viverrinus and N. albus from the Japan-
ese islands, he recognizes N. procyonides of Gray from east central China (of which
he makes N. sinensis Brass, 1904, "Nutzbare Tiere Ostasiens," a synonym) and
describes as new N. ussuriensis and N. amurensis from Siberia, and N. stegmanni
from the Yangtze basin. The last is said to differ from N. viverrinus in having
the bases of the woolly hairs on the back blackish gray instead of reddish gray,
the shoulders ticked with whitish gray on a dark ground instead of being blackish
brown, while the sides of the body are not much darker than the clear band back
of the shoulder. In size, the Yangtze animal is superior, being 82 cm. instead
of 70 cm. in total length.
The skin of a single female, without skull, obtained by Mr. Zappey in
December, 1908, at Suifu, western Szcchwan, agrees well enough with Matschie's
description of N. stegmanni. The dried skin measures about 82 cm. in total
length. The general color is pale buff, clear on the sides of the neck, behind
the shoulders, and on the lower surfaces of the body and tail, but elsewhere is
mixed with black particularly on the mid-dorsal area and on the terminal half
of the tail above. The lower limbs and patch below the eye are dark chocolate
and the chin and throat are tinged with the same. No doubt further material
will show intergradation between these described species.
MUSTELIDAE.
LUTREOLA MOUPINEKSIS Milne Edwards.
A male and a female from Tachiao (12,000 feet) and a second female from
Washan (9,000 feet), western Szechwan, are in the collection, the two former
in summer pelage, the latter in winter. The two summer skins were taken on
the 17th and 20th of September respectively and are essentially similar in colora-
tion, a nearly uniform Vandyke-brown above, darkest on the forehead and muzzle
shading into pale cinnamon on the ventral surfaces. The extreme tip of the
tail is a seal-brown or blackish with one or two white hairs. The female in
freshly assumed winter pelage, October 28, 1908, is cinnamon above, slightly
darker along the median line, shading into a clear buff below. These specimens
measured by the collector are as follows:—
No.
7834
Locality.
Tachiao
Sex.
d1
Length.
543
Tail.
198
Hind Foot.
59
7835
Tachiao
9
428
156
37
7836
Washan
9
432
167
49
238 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
The dimensions of the skulls of Nos. 7834 and 7835 are respectively: — great-
est length, 62.8, 49.8; basal length, 57.5, 46; palatal length, 28, 22.6; interorbital
constriction, 14.5, 11.8; zygomatic breadth, 33.5, 25.5; mastoid breadth, 30.8,
22.3; length of mandible from condyle to tip of incisor, 36.5, 28; upper tooth
row from back of molar to front of canine, 19, 15.4; lower tooth row from back
of molar to front of canine, 22.6, 18.
LUTREOLA SIBIRICA (Pallas).
Three males and a female of this mink were taken at Ichang, Hupeh. They
appear to agree in size with measurements given for more northern examples
and the adult male skull seems identical with that from Chefoo, figured of natural
size by Milne Edwards in his " Recherches," except that the pterygoids may
be longer than there shown. The dimensions of these specimens, as noted by
the collector are:—
No.
Sex.
Length.
Tail.
Hind Foot.
7104
c?
565
200
70
7105
<?
585
195
65
7107
cf
600
200
70
7106
9
495
172
50
The cranial measurements of tf 7105 and 9 7106 are respectively: — great-
est length, 65.5, 55; basal length, 60, 51; palatal length, 29, 23.2; length of
audital bulla, 19.7, 17.5; zygomatic breadth, 34.4, 26.8; mastoid breadth, 30.5,
24; mandible from condyle to tip of incisor, 39, 30.6; upper tooth row from
back of molar to front of canine, 19.5, 16; lower tooth row from back of molar
to front of canine, 22.8, 18.
In the female, No. 7106, the lower first incisor on the left side is so reduced
as to be hardly more than half the width of its fellow on the opposite side.
Swinhoe (1870, p. 624) records this species from Tientsin, Amoy, south
China, and Formosa and states that it lives in the walls of houses, in most of
the Chinese towns, feeding on rats and snakes.
Matschie {1908, p. 150) has described Lutreola stegmanni from Kiaochow
on the Shantung Peninsula from four skins without skulls. Our specimens agree
more or less with his description and may be referable to this form if it prove to
be sufficiently characterized.
MARTES FLAVIGULA BOREALIS (Radde).
A perfectly typical skin of this race was obtained from the Chinese traders,
probably from Hupeh or to the northwest.
ALLEN: MAMMALIA. 239
ARCTONYX LEUCOLAIMUS Milne Edwards.
A trade skin, probably from Hupeh, is in the collection.
URSIDAE.
AlLURUS FULGENS STYANI Thomas.
A fine male skin, unfortunately without skull, from the Chinchiang Valley,
western Szechwan, represents this race, recently described from Yanglinpa
in the northwestern part of the same province. The collector's measure of
the foot is 125 mm.; Thomas gives 112 for the foot without claws.
URSUS THIBETANTJS MACNEiLLi (Lydekker).
The black bear of eastern Tibet has recently been described by Lydekker
(1909) as a distinct race with a longer pelage and different skull as compared
with its nearest geographic representatives of the Indian Himalayas. The
skull is actually and proportionally broader, the palate is narrower and dis-
tinctly vaulted, instead of plane, and the third lower molar is narrower. The
type is a skin and skull from Tachien, eastern Tibet, and the describer mentions
also a female skull from Szechwan, in the collection of the British Museum. Mr.
Zappey secured an adult skull somewhere near the eastern border of Szechwan
which bears out the characters claimed for this subspecies. The palate is narrow
and slightly vaulted and corresponds closely in measurements with those given
for the type. The dimensions follow, together with those published for the
type specimen in parentheses (here reduced to millimeters) : — basal length,
264 (251.5); zygomatic breadth, 197 (170.2); length of three last upper cheek
teeth, 64 (54.1); last upper molar, length, 29.2 (24.9); width, 15.5 (15.2); length
of three last lower cheek teeth, 59.2 (55.4); last lower molar, length, 17 (15.5);
width, 12.4 (10.7); length of penultimate lower molar, 21.6 (20.3). Our speci-
men is probably a male.
TALPIDAE.
UROPSILUS SORICIPES Milne Edwards.
This species was described from specimens collected by Pere David in the
principality of Moupin, and has been recorded by Pousargues (1896, p. 1) from
the northern part of Yunnan. Mr. Zappey obtained a series of nine specimens.
240 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
from Washan, Lianghokow, and Tachiao, all in western Szechwan, at altitudes
of from 3,000 to 12,000 feet. The skins are very uniform in color and agree
closely with the excellent figures by Milne Edwards. The collector's measure-
ments of the fresh specimens show the following extremes: — total length, 127-,
155 mm.; tail, 59-72; hind foot, 14-17.5; average of nine specimens, 137, 65
and 16 mm., respectively for these three dimensions.
The tooth formula of this species was supposed by Milne Edwards to be
IiCiPjMi. Thomas (1912), however, in a series of specimens from Omisan
found that the formula included four upper premolars and two lower incisors;
and although in other respects the specimens showed no differences, he founded
for them the genus and species Rhynchonax andersoni. Curiously enough, our
series shows still a different formula. All the specimens have a large and a
second minute lower incisor, as in , "Rhynchonax" ; but four have three, and
three others have a fourth upper premolar. It would seem that the variation is
individual rather than generic, since the two variations occur in specimens from
the same locality that are otherwise identical. I prefer to regard these as
variants of a single species, which is in process of losing the minute upper
third premolar and the small lower incisor, and which in the individual
presence or absence of these teeth shows parallelism with numerous similar
cases among the Chiroptera.
SORICIDAE.
ANUROSOREX SQUAMIPES Milne Edwards.
A fine series of this almost tailless shrew was secured from Washan, in
western Szechwan, and a few additional specimens are from Hupeh, at Hsien-
shanhsien, 4,500 feet, and Changyanghsien, 5,500 feet. These all show a close
agreement among themselves, and average smaller than the measurements
given by Milne Edwards for the type, as will appear from the following table
which includes, first the dimensions of the type, then those of three specimens
from Hupeh : -
Hupeh Hupeh Hupeh
Type 7227 <? 72289 72269
Total length 110 100 98 98
Tail 9 10 10 11
Hind foot 16 15 15 15
Length of skull 27 24 25.5
Greatest breadth of skull 15 13.2
Upper tooth row 13 11.2 12 11.7
Lower tooth row 12 10 11 10.7
ALLEN: MAMMALIA. 241
The average of twenty-five specimens from Washan measured by the collector
is: — total length, 102 mm.; tail, 12; hind foot, 15, with extremes, total length:
86-104; tail, 9-15; hind foot, 14-16.
Milne Edwards's specimens came from the mountains and plains of Szechwan
and Tibet. He describes the pelage as "d'un gris uniforme tirant un peu sur le
brun verdatre" and his excellent figure is colored in this way. Our specimens
show an additional color character of which he makes no mention. In thirteen
skins taken in late October and early November, there is present on either side
of the head, at the auricular region, a small ochraceous patch in marked contrast
to the otherwise dark gray coat. If our specimens are all correctly sexed (some-
times not an easy matter in this group) this coloring is more frequent in the males,
since nine of the thirteen thus marked are of this sex, while of fifteen females,
but five show the patch on both sides, five others have it more or less distinct
on one side only, and the other five females as well as three males do not show it.
Four specimens taken between the 18th and 29th of May seem to be ac-
quiring the summer pelage which is shorter and more blackish without the
silvery sheen of "brun verdatre," when viewed from behind. Two of these
collected May 28th and 29th respectively, seem still to retain the long rump
hairs of the winter coat, that project as a conspicuous tuft nearly hiding the tail,
while the other two, taken May 18th and 28th respectively, show no such con-
trast, but appear to have quite shed the winter coat.
CROCIDURA ATTENUATA Milne Edwards.
A single specimen of this shrew was taken at Ichang, Hupeh, and agrees
well with Milne Edwards's diagnosis. The color above is gray washed with a
light tint of Prout's brown; below, uniform silver-gray, the tail bicolor like the
body. The ears are prominent, their surfaces minutely haired; the longer
hairs of the tail are relatively few and confined to the proximal three fourths.
As shown in Milne Edwards's figure, the second upper unicuspidate tooth is
smallest, the third slightly larger and the first largest. The dimensions of our
specimen follow, as well as those of the type from Moupin in parentheses :-
total length, 115 mm. (122); tail, 50 (48); hind foot, 13 (14). Skull: total
length, 20 (21); mastoid width, 9; width outside second upper molar, 6.6;
mandible from condyle to tip of incisor, 12.8; upper tooth row, 9; lower tooth
row, 8.4.
Thomas (1911, p. 168) has recently recorded it from Kansu.
242 SOME CHINESE VERTEBRATES.
CROCIDURA COREAE Thomas.
A single specimen of a small Crocidura was taken by Mr. Zappey at Ichang,
Hupeh, which, if not identical with C. coreae is at least very closely related to
it. Thomas (1907, p. 860) described the species from material collected at
Min-gyong, 110 miles southeast of Seoul, Korea. Later he (1908a, p. 639)
reported specimens from the Imperial Tombs, 65 miles east of Pekin, China.
Our specimen appears to extend its known range south into the Yangtze valley.
It was taken January 24, 1908, is broccoli-brown above, slightly mixed with
grayish, below pale ecru-drab, tail colored like the body. As stated by Thomas
the longer bristly hairs of the tail are numerous and extend nearly to the tip.
The ears are prominent and minutely haired. Its measurements are as follows,
with those of the type corresponding in parentheses: — total length, 98 mm. (95) ;
tail, 40 (37); hind foot, 13 (11.5). Skull, greatest length, 17.5 (17.5); basal
length, 15.5 (15.1) ; mastoid width, 7.7 (8.2) ; width outside second upper molars,
5.3; mandible from condyle to tip of incisor, 10.8; upper tooth row, 7.9 (7.8);
lower tooth row, 7.0.
ERINACEIDAE.
ERINACEUS ? HANENSIS Matschie.
I have provisionally referred to this newly named species a skin with skull
from Ichang, Hupeh. The single specimen on which Professor Matschie bases
the species came from Hankow, about 175 miles farther east in the same province.
The original description contains little that is particularly diagnostic, and the
distinction is based wholly on color. The spines are said to be of two sorts,
whitish and light brown, the latter with long, dark horn-colored tips. These
spines are about 25 mm. long. The color of the ventral side, of the head and
of the limbs is a deep hair-brown, sprinkled with gray hairs on the sides of the
.body, on the limbs, breast, flanks, cheeks, chin, and nose. The claws are dark
horn-color. The ears are dark and very small.
Our specimen is apparently immature though probably nearly full grown.
The wholly white spines are more numerous near the periphery of the spiny area,
but occur also in the mid-dorsal region, where there are a few wholly dark spines
of nearly a broccoli-brown. Most of the spines are of a similar color at the base
with a sub terminal white band and a brown tip. The hair of the lower surfaces,
head, and limbs is stiff and rather sparse but instead of being hair-brown is very
pale vinaceous buff, darker on the forehead and the upper surfaces of the feet.
ALLEN: MAMMALIA. 243
About the eye is a narrow ring of hair-brown, and a few dark brown hairs are
scattered along the sides of the body. Without additional specimens it is im-
possible to decide how great may be the individual or age variation in color so
for the present it seems best to consider this Ichang specimen as representing
E. hanensis. The collector's measurements are: — total length, 225 mm.;
tail, 19 mm.; hind foot, 43 mm.
The skull seems to be that of a nearly adult animal, and is but a trifle smaller
than that of E. dealbatus from Pekin. Its dimensions are: — greatest length,
49.5; basal length, 46; palatal length, 29; zygomatic breadth, 30; mastoid
breadth, 24; width outside first upper molar, 20; mandible from condyle to tip
of incisor, 39; upper tooth row, 27; lower tooth row, 25.5. The anterior pro-
longations of the frontals do not reach the intermaxillaries so that there is a
maxillonasal suture of some 3.5 mm. in length.
VESPERTILIONIDAE.
PIPISTRELLUS ABRAMUS (Temminck).
Between July 24 and August 5, 1907, a series of twenty-five specimens was
collected at Ichang. A number of these are immature with the metacarpal
epiphyses still distinct. The species was also obtained at Kiating, Hochinghsien
and Kweifu, in Szechwan. The adult males are nearly hair-brown above and
females are of a redder tinge, nearly 'Prout's brown.' In both sexes the bases
of the hairs are darker, near seal-brown. This sexual dichromatism was noticed
by Swinhoe (1870, p. 618) who says that "the female is a rich brown, with lighter
and dusky underparts; the male is black." The skulls of our series show some
variation in size, though this is often more apparent to the eye than the measure -
ments would indicate. Thus the smallest skull is 13 mm. long but is in every way
lighter and more delicate than the largest which measures 14 mm. In some the
upper canine and pm3 actually touch, while in others there is a considerable
space between the two teeth. Usually, however, this space is slight.
VESPERTILIO MURINUS SUPERANS (Thomas).
One male was taken at Ichang, Hupeh, April 22, 1907, and a pair on March
28, 1908, at Kweifu, in eastern Szechwan.
NYCTALTJS NOCTULA LABIATA (Hodgson).
An immature skin and skull from Ichang, July 21, 1907, and an adult skin
from Kweifu, eastern Szechwan, March 28, 1908, represent a very dark colored
244 SOME CHINEE VERTEBRATES.
race of the noctule bat, to which I have provisionally applied Hodgson's name.
"Vespertilio labiata" was very briefly described by Hodgson in the Journal of
the Asiatic society of Bengal, 1835, 4, p. 700, from the "central region of Nipal,"
as "saturate brown throughout; skin wherever denuded purpurescent." "Teeth
262 J'J- g'gj snout to rump three inches; tail two." It is said to be "closely
affined to M. Geoffrey's noctula," with which Dobson, in 1878, considered it
synonymous. Jerdon, four years previously had done the same, and in his
"Mammals of India" gave its measurements as: — length 4? to 5 inches; tail,
nearly 2; forearm, li§ = about 46 mm. Barret-Hamilton has recently de-
scribed under the name of P. montanus a noctule bat from Mussoree, north-
western Himalayas, to which Hodgson's name may be applicable although its
measurements seem a trifle less (forearm 42.5 mm.). Our two specimens from
Hupeh and Szechwan are very similar to P. noctula, but darker throughout,
nearly Prout's brown above and slightly paler below, the hairs practically uni-
color to their bases. The immature specimen from Ichang is slightly the darker
with a faint gloss to the upper surface. It is also albinistic in that the tips of
both ears are white. The" adult from Kweifu measures: — forearm, 49 mm,;
thumb, 8; second metacarpal, 52.5; third metacarpal, 52.5; fourth metacarpal,
50.5; fifth metacarpal, 42. The forearm of the immature specimen measures
46 mm.; its skull is similar to that of P. noctula with the first upper premolar
very small (not fairly prominent as in P. leisleri) and hidden in the angle between
the canine and the upper second premolar.
RHINOLOPHIDAE.
RHINOLOPHUS MINOR Horsfield.
Four specimens from Kiating, Szechwan, taken November 29, 1908, agree
closely with the description and measurements given by Andersen in his review
of the species of this group (Proc. Zool. soc. London, 1905, 2, p. 126-128).
The forearm measurement is 38 mm. In all, pm3 stands practically in the tooth
row.
RHINOLOPHUS ROUXI SINICUS Andersen.
This race was described from a single specimen taken at Chinta, Anhwei,
on the lower Yangtze. Mr. Zappey obtained two specimens of a Rhinolophus
belonging to the simplex group, at Ichanghsien, Hupeh, that undoubtedly repre-
sent the same race but are even smaller than the type, with forearms 43 and 44
ALLEN: MAMMALIA. 245
mm. respectively, against 46. They represent a light and a darker phase, the
former between russet and wood-brown above, the latter a drab. The follow-
ing cranial measurements show that the skulls are a trifle smaller than that of
the type:—
Type. No. 7228. No. 7284.
Total length of skull to front of canine 19.8 19 18.5
Upper tooth row « « « « 7.7 7.5 7.
Lower tooth row " " " " 8.1 8. 7.3
Mandible 13.5 12.8 12.5
In both specimens the first upper premolars are in the tooth row on each
side. In No. 7224 lower premolars 2 and 4 are in contact, wiCh premolar 3 forced
to the outside in the angle between them. In No. 7223, however, lower premolar
3 is only slightly external and separates the twd others by a slight space.
CERCOPITHECIDAE.
MACACXJS LASIOTIS Gray.
A young female of this short-tailed baboon was obtained in the mountains
of western Szechwan, at Nachuka, 10,000 feet. The fur is fine and silky, of an
olivaceous tint on the head, brightening to nearly clear pale orange-ochraceous
on the hips. The feet and fore limbs are grayish. The collector's measure-
ments are : — total length, 515 mm.; tail, 156; hind foot, 125.
REFERENCES.
ALLEN, 3. A.
1909. Mammals from Shen-si Province, China. Bull. Amer. mus. nat. hist., 26,
p. 425-430.
ANDERSON, M. P.
1909. Description of a new Japanese vole. Ann. mag. nat. hist., ser. 8, 4, p. 317-318.
BARRETT-HAMILTON, G. E. H.
1900. On geographical and individual variation in Mus syhaiicus and its allies. Proc.
Zool. soc. London, 1900, p. 387-428, pi. 25.
BONHOTE, J. L.
1898. On the species of the genus Viverricula. Ann. mag. nat. hist., ser. 7, 1, p.
119-122.
1900. On squirrels of the Sciurus maccldlandi group. Ann. mag. nat. hist., ser. 7,
6, p. 50-54.
1903. On a new species of cat from China. Ann. mag. nat. hist., ser. 7, 11, p. 374-376.
1905. The mammalian fauna of China. — Parti. Murinae. Proc. Zool. soc. London,
1905, 2, p. 384-397.
PLATE 1.
PLATE 1.
Fig. 1. — Batrachyplerus sinensis (Sauvage). Page. 126.
Fig. 2. — Hyla monticola, sp. nov. Type, M. C. Z. No. 2553. Washan, western Szechwan. Page 127
MEM Mus. COMP. ZOOL.
CHINESE VERTEBRATES PLATE!
PLATE 2.
PLATE 2.
Fig. 1. — Amblycephalus chinensis, sp. nov. Type M. C. Z. No. 7326. Luluping, western Szeehwan.
Page 132.
Fig. 2. — Agkistrodon blomhoffii brevicaudalus Stejneger. Page 132.
Fig. 3. Agkistrodon tibelanus, sp. nov. Type M. C. Z. No. 7327. Ramala Pass beyond Tachienlu,
western Szechwan. Page 133.
Fig. 4. — The same.
MEM Mus COMP ZOOL.
CHINESE VERTEBRATES PLATES
PLATE 3.
PLATE 3.
Fig. 1.— Rallus aqualicus korejetei Saruduy. M. C. Z. No. 52601. Ichanghsien, Hupeh, March 8, 1908.
Page 144.
Fig. 2.— Niltava lychnis Thayer & Bangs. Type, M. C. Z. No. 50001. Patung, Hupeh, May 19, 1907.
Page 163.
MEM. Mus. COMP. ZOOL
CHINESE VERTEBRATES PLATE 3.
I
PLATE 4.
PLATE 4.
Fig. 1. — Pnoepyga mutica, sp. nov. Type M. C. Z. No. 51974. Washan Mountain, western Szechwan,
June 3, 1908. Page 172.
Fig. 2. — SiUhora aappeyi, sp. nov. Type M. C. Z. No. 50738. Washan Mountain, western Szechwan,
November 3, 1908. Page 171.
MEM. Mus. COMP. ZOOL.
CHINESE VERTEBRATES PLATE 4.
PLATE 6.
PLATE 5.
Fig. 1.— Tesia grallator, sp. nov. Type M. C. Z. No. 51975. Washan Mountain, western Szechwan,
May 31, 1908. Page 169.
Fig. 2.— Bill of Tesia grallator.
Fig. 3.— Bill of Tesia castaneocoronata (Burton). Page 170.
Fig. 4. — Prinia inornate exter, subsp. nov. M. C. Z. No. 52578 Kiating, western Szechwan.
Adult male in winter plumage. Page 183.
Fig. 5. — Prinia inornata exter, subsp. nov. Type M. C. Z. No. 52580, Hokow, western Szechwan, May
4, 1908. Adult male in spring (breeding) plumage. Page 182.
MEM. Mus. COMP. ZOOL.
CHINESE VERTEBRATES PLATE 5.
T
PLATE 6.
PLATE 6.
Boanerges interniyrans, sp. nov. Type M. C. Z. No. 52587. Shuowlow, western Szechwan, August
23, 1908. Adult male. Page 200.
MEM. Mus. COMP. Zoou
CHINESE VERTEBRATES PLATE 6.
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