CO129-538-2 Hong Kong University 23-6-1932 - 15-3-1933 — Page 188

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Notes Comments

Chinese Rufous-backed Shrike, Lanius s. schach.–

At Sheung Shui in bamboo hedge eight feet. from ground, on 2. IV. 32, nest of dried grasses, (4 eggs).

Eastern House-Swallow, Hirundo rustica gutturalis.-

At Smithfield, 8. IV. 32, 20 feet from ground on a building (4 eggs). Another 28, IV. 32 (5 eggs).

Tree Sparrow, Passer montanus taivanensis.-

In hole in wall of vacant house, 24 feet from the ground, nest of dried grasses lined with feathers (5 eggs), 18, IV,

32.

Violet Whistling Thrush, Myiophoneus c. coeruleus.—

Nest on granite rock near Peak tram, (3 young, feathered almost ready to fly), 21. ÏV. 32. In hole in face of an earth cutting, Shek O Road, 30 feet from ground (4 eggs).

Chinese Red-whiskered Bulbul, Otocompsa emeria jocosa.—

At Little Hong Kong in Lung Ngan tree five feet from ground (3

eggs), 25. IV. 32.

Blue Magpie, Urocessa e. erythrorhyncha.—

32.

In pine tree, 25 feet from ground at Telegraph Bay, (5 eggs) 4. V. Protestant Cemetery, in a tree, 40 feet from ground, (5 eggs), 10. V. 32. Chinese Francolin, Francolinus p. pintadeanus.—

At Peng Kong in grass in pine plantation, (6 eggs), 6. V. 32. Also (6 eggs), 27. V. 32, and (2 eggs) 5. VI. 32.

Mynah sp.—

At Peng Kong in pine tree, 30 feet from ground, (2 eggs), 7. V. 32. At Little Hong Kong in hole in Bischofia tree, 45 feet from ground, (5 eggs), 12. V. 32.

Eastern Black-naped Oriole, Oriolus sinensis indicus.—

At Telegraph Bay, in pine tree, 40 feet from ground (2 eggs), 9. V. 32. Chinese Tailor Bird, Orthotomus sutorius longicauda.—

Little

At Pokfulam, in Ficus, 4 feet from ground, (3 eggs), 18. V. 32. Near Victoria Road, nest 2 feet from ground (2 eggs), 26. V. 32. Hong Kong, nest 1 foot from ground (4 eggs), 26. V. 32. Hwamei, Trochalopterun c. canorum.—

At Little Hong Kong old village, in shrub, one foot from ground;

a shallow nest of bamboo and tree leaves, pine needles and grass, (3 eggs), 18. V. 32.

Drongo, sp.

In Aquilaria tree at Protestant Cemetery about 20 feet from ground, nest of dry grass and tree roots, (3 eggs), 28. V. 32.

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Notes & Comments

South China White Eye, Zosterops s. simplex.-

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At Happy Valley, 15 feet up in bamboo hedge, nest of bamboo leaves, grass and spiders' webs, (4 eggs), 13. V. 32.

Pond Heron, Cattle Egret, Night Heron.—

At Hang Ha Po. Eggs of all three species laid by 5. V. 32. King-fishers, either Eastern White-breasted or Black-capped.—

In hole in cutting Shaukiwan Road (2 eggs), 11. V. 32. Wongnei- chung Gap Road in hole in cutting (4 eggs), 12. V. 32. Little Hong Kong in hole in earth cutting (3 eggs), 20. V. 32. Owls sp.

In hole in damaged ground, (1 egg), 17. V. 32. eggs), 17. V. 32. Drongo sp. and Cuckoo sp.

Litsea tree, Protestant Cemetery, 12 feet from In hole in Camphor tree Little Hong Kong (2

A typical drongo nest was found in a Celtis tree about 25 feet from ground, below Victoria Road near a stream leading to Telegraph Bay. The nest contained 3 eggs; one was a typical drongo egg the other two appeared to be eggs of a foreign bird probably a cuckoo. They were coloured pale cinnamon brown with faint bluish shading on the blunt end and were one third larger than the drongo egg, 26. V. 32.

BIRD NAMES,

G. A. C. H.

May I enter a plea for the avoidance of confusion in the naming of birds and for the stereotyping where possible of the best known or most suitable popular name?—the scientific name is in higher hands. Two in- stances in the Hong Kong Naturalist have called forth these remarks.

it the

*

is

On

I. MAGPIE ROBIN.-On page 50 Vol. 1. H. P. W. Hutton calls

Chinese Dayal Bird," though he admits that "Magpie Robin a better name. Surely "Magpie Robin is so much the better name that it is worth while making a good try to suppress the other name. Page 51 of the same number Soame Jenyns uses Magpie Robin without explanation or reservation, and I venture to say that the name is so well known in Hong Kong and is so appropriate that no explanation is needed.

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>>

2. RAIN BIRD.-This is one of the Cuckoos, a family which has not yet been dealt with in the very admirable articles on Birds of Hong Kong which have appeared in the "Hong Kong Naturalist. Several notes on the various members of the Cuckoo family have however appeared. have extracted the following:-

Vol. I. Page 106. Hawk Cuckoo-Brain fever bird of India.

Vol. I. Page 109.

Indian Cuckoo, Cuculus micropterus.

Vol. II. Page 143.

Indian Koel, Eudynamis orientalis honorata.

The Hong Kong Naturalist.

December 1932.

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