Jiang Tingxi (1669-1732)
An Imperial Manual of Birds
Oriental Scops Owl, Male Great Hornbill,...

王岡哥，收錄於《蔣廷錫鳥譜》第五冊，為第二十三幅。 

王岡哥。

王岡哥，黑睛白眶，黑觜，米黃頰。頂毛至背蒼，質黑白黃暈，黑莖黑點，雜以土色。背下土黃，圓斑相次。膊、翅黑質，赤黃相間，極其斕斑。翅尖青黑，間露微白邊。尾毛青灰，暈紋理縱橫黑斑，兩兩相對。頷至腹赤黃色，黑紋連比。短青足。土人云：昔有二人結伴行商於外，其一王姓者散失。一人尋其跡，日呼其字於山谷間，不勝饑寒而沒。其魂化為此鳥，啼聲云「王岡哥」，唯於夜中間聲。人以為神鳥也。年來漸有之，頗有捕得者。雖說近乎怪異，然伯奇之為伯勞，少女之為姑獲，精衛、杜宇思婦、廌䲴變幻之說，見著書冊。大凡物之自無而有，必有所始。精誠所感，憑化為物，理或有之，不可盡誣也。 

Oriental Scops Owl - Included in Bird Album by Jiang Tingxi, Volume V, the twenty-third illustration. 

This bird exhibits black pupils with white orbital rings. The beak is black, and the cheeks are pale yellow. From the crown of the head to the back, the plumage is bluish-grey, with a black base subtly overlaid by white and yellow shading. The feather shafts are black, and the feather surface is speckled with black dots, interspersed with earthy tones. The lower back is earthy yellow, marked with a sequential pattern of round spots. The scapulars and wing feathers are primarily black, interwoven with red and yellow markings that produce a rich and variegated appearance. The wingtips are bluish-black, with small white edges faintly visible. The tail feathers are bluish-grey, featuring irregular mottling and crosswise black markings, arranged in a bilaterally symmetrical fashion. From the throat to the abdomen, the bird is reddish-yellow, with closely aligned black streaks. The legs are short and bluish in colour. 

According to local oral tradition, it is said that in ancient times, two men set out to trade in distant lands. One of them, bearing the surname Wang, became lost. His companion searched the valleys calling his name day and night, but eventually succumbed to hunger and cold. His spirit is said to have transformed into this bird, whose call resembles the repeated cry of “Wang Gang Ge (王岡哥),” especially audible during the night. As a result, local people regard this species as a spiritual or divine bird. 

In recent years, sightings of this bird have increased, and a few individuals have reportedly been captured. While the original tale may appear fantastical, similar metamorphosis legends are well-documented in classical Chinese texts—for instance, Bo Qi (伯奇) transformed into Bo Lao (伯勞); a maiden became the Gu Huo (姑獲) bird; and the myths of Jing Wei (精衛), Du Yu (杜宇)bird, and the mythical creature Zhi Zhen (廌䲴) all represent cases of spiritual or emotional transmutation into bird or beast. 

The notion that entities emerge from nonexistence suggests that all phenomena must originate from a cause. If one’s sincere thoughts can give rise to transformation into physical form, it is not entirely implausible. Therefore, such accounts cannot be categorically dismissed. 

弩克鴉克，收錄於《蔣廷錫鳥譜》第五冊，為第二十五幅。 

弩克鴉克。

弩克鴉克，赤睛，黑白重眶。米黃巨觜，有巨骨。冠高起，自觜半至頂，色如黃牙，旁帶黑暈，形狀絕異。黑頭黑頸，眼後、頷上各有白毛一片。頷下有短茸垂出。背、膊、翅、尾俱黑，肩上、翅尖及尾邊皆有白毛。臆前純黑，腹蒼白色。長黑尾，青黑爪。 

Male Great Hornbill - Illustrated in Bird Album by Jiang Tingxi, Volume V, the twenty-fifth illustration. 

This bird possesses bright red irises, with a distinctive dual-coloured orbital ring consisting of concentric black and white layers. The beak is pale yellow in colour, massive in size, and exhibits prominent zygomatic ridges. A large casque extends from the middle of the upper mandible to the crown of the head, rising in a pronounced arc. The casque is ivory-yellow in hue, accented with dark shading on both sides. Its form is striking and highly distinctive, differing markedly from the morphology of typical avian species. The head and neck are uniformly black. Patches of white feathers are present behind the eyes and above the throat on both sides. A small tuft of short, soft down feathers hangs from beneath the throat. The back, scapulars, wings, and tail feathers are all black. However, white feathers are visible on the shoulders, wing tips, and edges of the tail, providing a sharp chromatic contrast. The anterior chest is solid black, while the abdomen displays a greyish-white coloration. The tail feathers are long and slender, uniformly black. The feet and claws are bluish-black. 

洋雞，收錄於《蔣廷錫鳥譜》第六冊，為第十二幅。 

洋雞。

洋雞，雄者黑睛赤黑暈，縹白頰，白耳。頷有垂囊，殷紅色，下連胸，臆黃白。觜根有肉，鼻長寸許。怒則頸臆肉色先紅，肉鼻亦變赤，伸而下垂，長可五六寸，其色紅閃爍無定。開張其尾，亦如屏，然性過則收斂故頭。頂紅質，粉青點。頸上有紅蕾，大小磊磊，連綴項末至背。腹俱赤黑質，深黑邊。翮毛白質，蒼赤花點。翅黑，下白。赭紅足，青白爪。 

Turkey - Included in Bird Album by Jiang Tingxi, Volume VI, the twelfth illustration. 

The male turkey is characterized by black pupils encircled by irises with a reddish-black hue. The cheeks are a mixture of pale blue and white, while the ear coverts are pure white. A pair of conspicuous, pendant wattles extends from beneath the lower mandible to the upper breast, displaying a vivid crimson coloration. The plumage of the chest is a blend of pale yellow and white. A fleshy protuberance is present at the base of the beak, and the snood (fleshy appendage over the beak) may reach up to one cun (approximately 3 centimetres) in length. When the bird is aroused or agitated, the exposed skin on the neck and chest rapidly turns bright red, and the snood also becomes engorged, elongating and drooping downward—at full extension, it may reach five to six cun (roughly 15 to 20 centimetres). The coloration of the snood exhibits iridescent red tones, which fluctuate in intensity. When expanded, the tail feathers fan out in a manner resembling a folding screen. However, in moments of heightened excitement or physical exertion, the tail is often held close to the body. The crown of the head is covered in red plumage, marked with light bluish-green speckles. Along the upper neck are numerous red nodular protrusions resembling flower buds, which vary in size and extend in a continuous line down to the juncture of the neck and back. The abdominal feathers are dark reddish-black, delineated by deep black feather margins. The remiges are white-based, interspersed with bluish-grey and reddish patterned markings. The dorsal side of the wings is black, while the ventral wing feathers are white. The legs are ochre-red, and the claws are mottled bluish-white. 

山花雞收錄於《蔣廷錫鳥譜》第六冊, 為第三十幅。 

山花雞。

山花雞，黑睛青黑暈，紅臉，蒼觜白喙尖。黑頂，深紅頰、頷。目後紅毛一道，與頂毛俱長，出腦後項上。紅毛一片，中隱白斑，兩旁仍間以黑毛。背毛大小叢斑，如珠璣參錯，皆紅白相暈，緣以赤黑。肩毛紅黑色，翮翅黑質，赭黃斑暈，如洒紅白毛尖。尾赭白二色，雜以黑花斑毛，末亦作紅白色。臆腹淺赭色，腹下間紅黑毛。粉紅足爪，雉類也，出福建建寧府。 

Blyth’s Tragopan - Included in Bird Album by Jiang Tingxi, Volume VI, as the thirtieth illustration. 

This species is characterized by black pupils with irises surrounded by a bluish-black halo. The face is bright red. The beak is bluish in tone, with a white tip. The crown feathers are black, and both cheeks and the throat are deep red. A prominent red stripe of elongated feathers extends from behind the eyes, continuing alongside similarly elongated crest feathers from the crown, reaching toward the rear of the head and neck. A broad patch of red feathers covers the nape, within which a white spot is partially concealed. On either side, black feathers are interspersed among the red. The dorsal plumage displays irregular clusters of red and white spots with gradient blending, resembling an arrangement of scattered pearls and gemstones. The edges of these feathers are tinged with reddish black. The shoulder feathers exhibit interwoven red and black pigmentation. The remiges and wing coverts are dark in base colour, adorned with ochre-yellow blotches in a diffused pattern, with red and white-tipped feather ends dispersed across the wing surfaces. The tail feathers are a mixture of ochre and white, interspersed with black mottled plumage, and terminate in red-and-white coloration. The breast and abdomen are pale ochre, with the lower abdomen bearing fine interspersed red and black feathers. The legs and claws are pale pink. 

This species belongs to the family Phasianidae (pheasants) and is native to southern China, specifically in Jianning Fu in Fujian Province. 

白莊，收錄於《蔣廷錫鳥譜》第九冊，為第七幅。

白莊，一名白翰，一名白鶴子。

白莊，黑睛青暈，黃頰，黑觜。長頸，胸有長毛垂出。通身白色，短尾，青黑長脛，青黑足爪。身與青莊相等。一名白翰，亦呼白鶴子。 

Great Egret - Included in Bird Album by Jiang Tingxi, Volume IX, appears as the seventh illustration. 

Also known historically as Bai Han (白翰) and Bai He Zi (白鶴子). 

This bird possesses black pupils, with irises encircled by a bluish halo. The cheeks are yellow, and the bill is black. The neck is long and slender, and a tuft of elongated ornamental feathers hangs from the upper chest. The entire plumage is pure white. The tail is relatively short. The tibiotarsus and tarsus are long and slender, covered with bluish-black feathers, and both feet and claws are also bluish-black. In terms of overall body proportions, this species closely resembles the Qing Zhuang (青莊) in the same body type. This bird is also referred to as Bai Han (白翰) and Bai He Zi (白鶴子).

三和尚，收錄於《蔣廷錫鳥譜》第九冊，為第二十幅。

三和尚。

三和尚，黑觜，長喙，赤黑睛，黑頂，頂有黑色毛數根勁而不垂。眼旁至項蒼白色，頷至臆深黑色，背翅蒼褐，翅尖黑，翅根間露白毛，膊毛深青黑色，腹下白，帶蒼紋，尾上白下黑，足殷紅色。 

Tirnga vanellus (Northern Lapwing) - Included in Bird Album by Jiang Tingxi, Volume IX, the twentieth illustration. 

This bird species possesses a black, slender bill. The eyes are described as reddish-black in coloration. The crown is black and bears several upright, stiff black feathers, which do not droop. The plumage extending from the sides of the eyes to the nape is pale bluish-white. Feathers from the throat to the breast are deep black. The back and wings are covered in dusky brownish-blue plumage, with the wing tips being solid black. White feathers are faintly visible at the base of the wings. The scapular region is marked by dark bluish-black plumage. The lower abdominal region is white, interspersed with bluish-grey markings. The upper portion of the tail is white, while the underside is black. The legs are bright red. 

魚鷹，收錄於《蔣廷錫鳥譜》第九冊，為第二十九幅。 

魚鷹，一名水鶚，一名雕雞，一名白鷢。 

魚鷹，大小形狀類鷹，深黃目，黑觜勾吻，頂上矗起蒼白雜毛。項、背、翅、尾俱蒼黃色，頸下至臆蒼白色，腹下灰白色，青白足，黑爪。常在水邊食魚，即詩注江東呼為鶚，好在江渚山邊食魚者也。《爾雅》注：「云鶚大小如鴟，深目，目上骨露，幽州謂之鷙。」《本草綱目》云：「鶚，一名魚鷹，一名鵰雞。」李時珍曰：「鶚，狀可愕，故謂之鶚鵰類也，似鷹而土黃色，深目，好峙，雄雌相得，鷙而有別。能翱翔水上捕魚食，江表人呼為食魚鷹。」《漢書·揚雄傳》注：「白鷢似鷹頭有白毛，尾末亦白。一名水鶚，一名魚鷹。」案今俗所稱，魚鷹種類甚多，其小者有翠碧、魚狗、魚虎、翠奴之屬。其大者，有海鶻，海鷂、鸕鷀之屬，其色有青、有翠、有白、有斑。古今詩文皆假借魚鷹之名，其實魚鷹當以水鶚為正也。

Eastern Osprey - Included in Bird Album by Jiang Tingxi, Volume IX, the twenty-ninth illustration. 

Also known historically as Shui’e(水鶚), Diao Ji (雕雞), and Bai Jue (白鷢). 

This bird is similar in both size and general form to members of the eagle family. The eyes are deep yellow, and the beak is black with a strongly hooked tip. The crown feathers stand erect and are primarily pale greyish-white, interspersed with darker markings. The plumage from the lower neck to the chest is pale grey, while the abdominal region is greyish-white. The dorsal surfaces—including the back, nape, wings, and tail—are coloured in shades of dusky yellow-grey. The legs are bluish-white, and the claws are black and sharply curved like talons.  It frequently inhabits watersides, feeding on fish. According to poetic annotations, it is known in Jiangdong as E (鶚), favouring river islets and mountain edges for hunting fish. The Erya (《爾雅》 the earliest Chinese dictionary) states: "The E (鶚) is about the size of a Chi (鴟), with deep-set eyes and exposed bones above the eyes; in Youzhou, it is referred to as Zhi (鷙)." The Bencao Gangmu (《本草綱目》 Compendium of Materia Medica) notes: "The E (鶚) is also called Yu Ying (魚鷹) and Diao Ji (鵰雞)." Li Shizhen (李時珍) explained: "The E (鶚) has a fierce appearance, hence its name, and it belongs to the eagle family. It resembles a hawk but is earth-yellow in colour, with deep-set eyes, preferring to fight. Males and females are distinct. It can soar above water, capturing and feeding on fish. Jiangbiao people call it the Yu Ying (魚鷹)." The Hanshu Yangxiong Zhuan (《漢書·揚雄傳》 Book of Han, Biography of Yang Xiong) notes: "The Bai Jue (白鷢) resembles a hawk, with white feathers on its head and the end of its tail also white. It is also known as Shui E (水鶚) or Yu Ying (魚鷹)." Currently, it is generally recognised that, there are many species referred to as Yu Ying (魚鷹).  Among the smaller varieties are species such as the Bi Cui (翠碧), the Yu Gou (魚狗), the Yu Hu (魚虎), and the Cui Nu (翠奴). Among the larger species are the Hai Hu (海鶻), the Hai Yao (海鷂), and the Lu Ci (鸕鷀), exhibiting colours that range from blue, green, white, to mottled patterns. Classical and modern poetry often use the name Yu Ying (魚鷹) metaphorically, but in fact, the true Yu Ying (魚鷹) should be properly identified as the Shui‘e (水鶚).