3 



The Japanese Hawfinch is one of the Lirgest and most beautiful of tlie 

 group to which it belongs, and is easily distinguished from the Black-tailed 

 Hawfinch of Southern China, by the black tips to the primaries, which are 

 white in the latter bird when adult. 



This species was first described by Messrs. Temminck and Schle"-el in 

 their 'Fauna Japonica,' published in 1850; since that date, and durint>- 

 the last thirty-eight years, many travellers and collectors have visited the 

 countries mhabited by this bird, without obtaining any authentic detailed 

 history of its habits or nidification ; it is undoubtedly a peculiar moun- 

 tainous resident, and is supposed to breed on the highest snow-clad volcanoes 

 of Japan and Central China, and must endure extreme cold, from the great 

 altitude at which it has been procured. 



In Mr. J. Gould's ' Birds of Asia ' will be found excellent fisures of 



both sexes of this species, and from the text I give the following notes : 



" The bird is well figured in Messrs. Temminck and Schleo-el's ' Fauna 

 Japonica,' but no account whatever is given of its habits, nor have they 

 even mentioned the localities in which it was found. I believe that a 

 seasonal change of colour takes jJace in the bill of this species, as well as 

 in that of Eophona mdanura, as the examples in the Earl of Derby's collec- 

 tion exhibit a deep purple colouring around the base and at the tip. A 

 considerable diff'erence occurs in the sexes ; the black of the face and head 

 so conspicuous in the male, being entirely wanting in the female.'' 



Mr. H. Whitely procured " one specimen only (a male), shot in a wood 

 at Hakodadi. It is a rather powerful bird, as, although very badly wounded 

 it flew nearly 300 yards before it fell. Length 8'75 in., wing 5"25. Bill 

 — upper mandible yellow, marked with dark-green streaks towards the 

 crown of the head ; lower mandible yellow, with a slight tinge of green ; 

 legs and feet greenish flesh-colour ; eye light hazel." 



It is found at Pekin according to Mr. R. Swinhoe, and in his ' Ornitho- 

 logical Notes made at Chefoo ' he says the " name in the MS. Illustrations 

 is La-tsung (M. D. 6854, 11209), or Wax-hill. This is applied to Eophona 

 melanura in the south, where this larger bird does not occur." 



Messrs. Blakiston and Pryer state that it is " found commonly on 

 Fujisan in July, has a pleasing whistle, and is capable of being made very 

 tame. Examples were also obtained in Yezo, Oyama, and Shikoku. 

 Specimens were also observed in the Museum at Tokio and Hakodadi." 



