MY IOPH ONEUS IN S U L A R IS , Gould
JGouHanUiCRuAtir. tliL itM h.
MYIOPHONEUS INSULARIS , Gould.
Formosan Whistling’-Thrush.
Myiophoneus insularis, Gould in Proc. o f Zool. Soc. 1862, p. 280.
Myiophonus insularis, Swinh. in Ibis, 1863, p. 277.
F rom the information which has been recorded by Mr. Jerdon and others respecting the species o f the
genus Myiophoneus, we learn that they have many characters in common with the larger Pelrocinclee; the
members o f both genera give preference to rocky and sterile, rather than to the wooded, portions of the
country, stony torrents, waterfalls, and hill-sides being preeminently the situations resorted to by the
Indian members of the present form. Their song is a loud, clear whistle, not unlike, says Mr. Jerdon, that
of a man or boy. The sexes are alike in colour, and they do not materially differ in size.
At least four or five species o f this well-defined genus are at present known, two of which inhabit the
hills of India, one China and the island o f Java, and the fifth the island of Formosa. This last-
mentioned species, which is figured on the accompanying Plate, differs from its Chinese representative in
its larger size, in the finer blue o f its breast, and in the total absence of the spangled spots of shining blue
which ornament the back of that species.
“ The Formosan Cavern-bird,” says Mr. Swinhoe, “ haunts the dark wooded ravines of the mountains of
the interior, and seldom descends below the level of 2000 feet. Like the Chinese species, its favourite
position is a boulder of rock on the side of a torrent, whereon it stands expanding and shutting up its tail
like a fan, and occasionally throwing it slightly upwards. I t is easily startled, when it runs rather than
hops over the surface o f the rock, and flies off with a loud screaming note. Its song is short, but somewhat
pleasant. In its manners and habits it seems to connect the Thrushes and Petrocinclce with the Pittce,
which also love the neighbourhood of mountain streams. The shape of its ear is most peculiar, and very
similar to that of the Henicuri, which are also cascade-loving birds. The specimens dissected usually
contained the remains of Coleoptera and their larvae.”
Lores jet-black; forehead crossed by a narrow band of shining deep b lu e ; crown of the head, throat,
back of the neck, all the upper surface, and the tail obscure blackish blue; shoulders very bright metallic
blue ; primaries and greater wing-coverts margined externally with bright blue; feathers of the chest and
upper part of the abdomen black, with shining blue tip s ; lower part of the abdomen, thighs, under tail-
coverts, and the under side of the tail-feathers dull black ; bill and legs black; irides deep brown.
The Plate represents the bird of the size of life.