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often seen great nuaibers of turibs (a species of E.nys) which are fed 

 by the visitors with small fish, lizards, etc., purchased for a few tin from 

 the attendants. The turtle is a very frequent object in Japanese art 

 work, and is often represented as if with spreading plumose tail. This 

 is apparently meant to represent old individuals in which the shell is 

 often covered with confervse that stream out behind as the animal 

 swims along. 



Birds also furnish abundant themes for the Japanese artist, who 

 knows so well how to depict them in lifelike attitudes, and with the 

 greatest fidelity to nature. In the cities great numbers of a large kite, 

 the Tombi {Miivus govifida), may ahvays be seen circling slowly round, 

 and acting the part of useful scavengers, without fear of man. In 

 Yokohama they were very numerous about the harbour, seeking their 

 food trom land and water, and resting in the rigging of the ships. 

 Ravens are also abundant, and with the sparrows are very troublesome. 

 The latter {Passer montanus) swarms in the rice-fields in spite 'of scare- 

 crows, nets, traps and rattles, and much resembles in appearance and 

 destructiveness the English sparrows. The most interesting birds are 

 perhaps the storks and cranes, of which several fine species abound. 

 They are protected and hence may be seen more frequently than might 

 be expected, Tsuru is the name applied to the cranes, but each 

 species has likewise a special name, as the Tancho {G> us leucauchen), a 

 noble white bird with a red crown, black neck and tail. There are three 

 sjiecies of silver heron, Sagi, very beautiful birds, seen upon the mud 

 flats near Tokio, at Hiroshima and elsewhere. 



In the moats surrounding the castle at Tokio were seen great 

 numbers of ducks, which of course are never molested, and swim about 

 in all the beauty of their various plumages. Jays, thrushes, finches, 

 wagtails, doves and many others were observed, including pheasants, of 

 which two species are common, and in some districts so numerous that 

 great numbers are killed. 



* Insects virere very numerous and about 600 species had been col- 

 lected, about half of which were beetles. There was no time to discuss 



* A paper had already been read by Mr. Harrington before the Entomological 

 .Society ot Ontario upon the Japanese Insects and is being printed in the annual 

 report of the society. 



