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Island Life Part 31

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15. Felis chinensis. The Chinese Tiger Cat. China.

16. Viverricula malaccensis. Spotted Civet. China, India.

17. Paguma larvata. Gem-faced Civet. China.

18. _Sus taiva.n.u.s._ Allied to the wild Pig of j.a.pan.

19. Cervulus reevesii. Reeve's Muntjac. China.



20. _Cervus pseudaxis._ Formosan Spotted Deer. Allied to _C. sika_ of j.a.pan.

21. _Cervus swinhoii._ Swinhoe's Rusa Deer. Allied to Indian and Malayan species.

22. _Nemorhedus swinhoii._ Swinhoe's Goat-antelope. Allied to the species of Sumatra and j.a.pan.

23. Bos chinensis. South China wild Cow.

24. Mus bandicota. The Bandicoot Rat. Perhaps introduced from India.

25. Mus indicus. Indian Rat.

26. _Mus c.o.xinga._ Spinous Country-rat.

27. _Mus canna._ Silken Country-rat.

28. _Mus losca_. Brown Country-rat.

29. Sciurus castaneoventris. Chestnut-bellied Squirrel. China and Hainan.

30. Sciurus m'clellandi. McClelland's Squirrel. Himalayas, China.

31. _Sciuropterus kaleensis._ Small Formosan Flying Squirrel. Allied to _S. alboniger_ of Nepal.

32. _Pteromys grandis._ Large Red Flying Squirrel. Allied to Himalayan and Bornean species. From North Formosa.

33. _Pteromys pectoralis._ White-breasted Flying Squirrel. From South Formosa.

34. Lepus sinensis. Chinese Hare. Inhabits South China.

35. Manis dalmanni. Scaly Ant-eater. China and the Himalayas.

The most interesting and suggestive feature connected with these Formosan mammals is the ident.i.ty or affinity of several of them, with Indian or Malayan rather than with Chinese species. We have the rock-monkey of Formosa allied to the rhesus monkeys of India and Burma, not to those of South China and Hainan. The tree civet (_Helictis subaurantiaca_), and the small flying squirrel (_Sciuropterus kaleensis_), are both allied to Himalayan species. Swinhoe's deer and goat-antelope are nearest to Malayan species, as are the red and white-breasted flying squirrels; while the fruit-bat, the wild pig, {404} and the spotted deer are all allied to peculiar j.a.panese species. The clouded tiger is a Malay species unknown in China, while the Asiatic wild cat is a native of the Himalayas and Malacca.

It is clear, therefore, that before Formosa was separated from the mainland the above named animals or their ancestral types must have ranged over the intervening country as far as the Himalayas on the west, j.a.pan on the north, and Borneo or the Philippines on the south; and that after that event occurred, the conditions were so materially changed as to lead to the extinction of these species in what are now the coast provinces of China, while they or their modified descendants continued to exist in the dense forests of the Himalayas and the Malay Islands, and in such detached islands as Formosa and j.a.pan. We will now see what additional light is thrown upon this subject by an examination of the birds.

LIST OF THE LAND BIRDS PECULIAR TO FORMOSA.

t.u.r.dIDae (Thrushes).

1. _t.u.r.dus albiceps._ Allied to Chinese species.

SYLVIDIae (Warblers).

2. _Cisticola volitans._ Allied to _C. schoenicola_ of India and China.

3. _Herbivox cantans._ Sub-species of _H. cantillaus_ of N. China and j.a.pan.

4. _Notodela montium._ Allied to _N. leucura_ of the Himalayas; no ally in China.

TIMALIIDae (Babblers).

5. _Pomatorhinus musicus._ Allies in S. China and the Himalayas.

6. _P. erythroenemis._ Do. do.

7. _Garrulax ruficeps._ Allied to _G. albogularis_ of N. India and East Thibet, not to the species of S. China (_G. sannio_).

8. _Janthocincla poecilorhyncha._ Allied to _J. coerulata_ of the Himalayas. None of the genus in China.

9. _Trochalopteron taiva.n.u.s._ Allied to a Chinese species.

10. _Alcippe morrisoniana._} Near the Himalayan _A. nipalensis_.

11. _A. brunnea._ } None of the genus in China.

12. _Sibia auricularis._ Allied to the Himalayan _S. capistrata_. The genus not known in China.

PANURIDae (Bearded t.i.ts, &c.).

13. _Suthora bulomachus._ Allied to the Chinese _S. suffusa_.

CINCLIDae (Dippers and Whistling Thrushes).

14. _Myiophoneus insularis._ Allied to _M. horsfieldi_ of South India.

{405}

PARIDae (t.i.ts).

15. _Parus insperatus._ Sub-species of _P. monticola_ of the Himalayas and East Thibet.

16. _P. castaneiventris._ Allied to _P. varius_ of j.a.pan.

LIOTRICHIDae (Hill t.i.ts).

17. _Liocichla steerii._ A peculiar genus of a specially Himalayan family, quite unknown in China.

PYCNONOTIDae (Bulbuls).

18. _Pycnonotus (Spizixos) cinereicapillus_. Very near _P. semitorques_ of China.

19. _Hypsipetes nigerrimus._ Allied to _H. concolor_ of a.s.sam, not to _H. macclellandi_ of China.

ORIOLIDae (Orioles).

20. _a.n.a.lcipus ardens._ Allied to _A. traillii_ of the Himalayas and Tena.s.serim.

CAMPEPHAGIDae (Caterpillar Shrikes).

21. _Graucalus rex-pineti._ Closely allied to the Indian _G. macei_. No ally in China.

DICRURIDae (King Crows).

22. _Chaptia brauniana._ Closely allied to _C. aenea_ of a.s.sam. No ally in China.

MUSCICAPIDae (Flycatchers).

23. _Cyornis vivida._ Allied to _C. rubeculoides_ of India.

CORVIDae (Jays and Crows).

24. _Garrulus taiva.n.u.s._ Allied to _G. sinensis_ of S. China.

25. _Urocissa coerulea._ A very distinct species from its Indian and Chinese allies.

26. _Dendrocitta formosae._ A sub-species of the Chinese _D. sinensis_.

PLOCEIDae (Weaver Finches).

27. _Munia formosana._ Allied to _M. rubronigra_ of India and Burmah.

ALAUDIDae (Larks).

28. _Alauda sala._}Allies in South China.

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