.10 



REVIEW OF JAPANESE BIRDS. 



The bright plumes are apparently not assumed before the bird lias passed 

 its second winter, since when a year old it only shows a few ochraceous 

 feathers on the crown and on the neck, as well as a few buff ones on 

 the back, the rest being white. A bird in this plumage, taken in the 

 latter part of June, has been received from the Tokio Educational 

 Museum. 



Captain Blakiston, in the April number, 1883, of the " Chrysanthe- 

 mum", remarks as follows: 



"An example obtained by Mr. Ota at Tokio as late as December 20, 

 now in my possession, retains a good deal of the summer rust-color on 

 the head, neck, breast, and plumes of the back, which Mr. Ota considers 

 singular at this season.'' This specimen is now before me (U. S. Xat. 

 Mus. No. 95975), and I think I can explain the abnormity. The ochra- 

 ceous and buff plumes are extremely abraded, indicating that they have 

 been worn for a longer period than originally contemplated by nature ; 

 but they would undoubtedly have disappeared very shortly, for the 

 bird is in full molt, and new 7chite feathers are protruding. The left 

 wing is clipped, proof that the bird had been kept in captivity, and this 

 fact alone is sufficient to explain the retarded molt, a thing not at all 

 uncommon among birds in similar circumstances. 



Measurements of Bubulcus COROMandus. 



Measurements of BUBULCUS IBIS. 



57021 Schliiter, 1049. c' Southern Europe 255 96 54 80 54 



ARDEA Lixx. 



17.58. — Ardea Lixx., S. N., 10 ed., I, p. 141 (type A. cinerea Lixx.). 



1855. — Auchthouia Box'aparte, Con.sp. Av., II, p. 113 (type A. occidcntalis Audub.). 



18^7.— rhoyx Stejxeger, MS. (type A. purpurea Lixx.). 



There being a probability that the Purple Heron may occasionally 

 occur in Japanese territory, a synopsis of the characters by which it 

 can easily be recognized may be useful : 



a'. Tar.su3 mnch longer than exposed cuhiien or middle toe ; bind claw about one- 

 eighth the length of the tarsus ; predominating colors gray, white, and black, 

 (Ardea) A. cinerea. 



