. _Pitta oreas._ Allied to _P. cyanoptera_ of Malaya and S. China.
PICIDAE (Woodpeckers).
31. _Picus insularis._ Allied to _P. leuconotus_ of Japan and Siberia.
MEGALAEMIDAE.
32. _Megalaema nuchalis._ Allied to _M. oortii_ of Sumatra and _M.
faber_ of Hainan. No allies in China.
CAPRIMULGIDAE (Goatsuckers).
33. _Caprimulgus stictomus._ A sub-species of _C. monticolus_ of India
and China.
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COLUMBIDAE (Pigeons).
34. _Treron formosae._ Allied to Malayan species.
35. _Sphenocercus sororius._ Allied to Malay species and to _S.
sieboldi_ of Japan. No allies of these two birds inhabit China.
36. _Chalcophaps formosana._ Allied to the Indian species which extends
to Tenasserim and Hainan.
TETRAONIDAE (Grouse and Partridges).
37. _Orcoperdix crudigularis._ A peculiar genus of partridges.
38. _Bambusicola sonorivox._ Allied to the Chinese _B. thoracica_.
39. _Arcoturnix rostrata._ Allied to the Chinese _A. blakistonii_.
PHASIANIDAE (Pheasants).
40. _Phasianus formosanus._ Allied to _P. torquatus_ of China.
41. _Euplocamus swinhoii._ A very peculiar and beautiful species allied
to the tropical fire-backed pheasants, and to the silver pheasant of
North China.
STRIGIDAE (Owls).
42. _Athene pardalota._ Closely allied to a Chinese species.
43. _Lempigius hambroekii._ Allied to a Chinese species.
This list exhibits to us the marvellous fact that more than half the
peculiar species of Formosan birds have their nearest allies in such remote
regions as the Himalayas, South India, the Malay Islands, or Japan, rather
than in the adjacent parts of the Asiatic continent. Fourteen species have
Himalayan allies, and six of these belong to genera which are unknown in
China. One has its nearest ally in the Nilgherries, and five in the Malay
Islands; and of these six, four belong to genera which are not Chinese. Two
have their only near allies in Japan. Perhaps more curious still are those
cases in which, though the genus is Chinese, the nearest allied species is
to be sought for in some remote region. Thus we have the Formosan babbler
(_Garrulax ruficeps_) not allied to the species found in South China, but
to one inhabiting North India and East Thibet; while the black bulbul
(_Hypsipetes nigerrimus_), is not allied to the Chinese species but to an
Assamese form.
In the same category as the above
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