to the Ornithology of Japan. 41 



of wing from 2-1 to 1'85 inch, and are indistinguishable from 

 European examples, except that the underparts are slightly- 

 darker and more rufous. The smaller ones are absolutely in- 

 distinguishable from examples from Vancouver's Island. An 

 example from Hakodadi measures 2"1 inches in length of wing, 

 and is slightly paler on the underparts. An example from the 

 Kurile Islands is still paler underneath, but not quite so 

 pale as European examples : it measures 2' 15 inches in 

 length of wing, and the culmen 'QQ inch. Nothing can be 

 more misleading than to dignify these climatic races with 

 the rank of species. The Japanese Wren is known as T. 

 parvulus \diY.fumigatus ; but to distinguish it even as a variety 

 from T. alascensis and T. pacificus can only be regarded as 

 hair-splitting, the extremes in a series of any one variety 

 overlapping the extremes of the nearest allied varieties. 



Merula cardis. 



Among the examples sent of this species is one (No. 724) 

 from Hakodadi of the young in first plumage, which was 

 hitherto unknown. The general colour is brown, but most 

 of the feathers of the upper parts have chestnut shaft- 

 streaks and black terminal bands. The throat and upper 

 breast are spotted like the lower breast and flanks. Axillaries 

 chestnut. 



Merula chrysolaus. 



An example (No. 723) from Hakodadi of young in first 

 plumage is new. The general colour resembles that of the 

 adult, but most of the feathers of the upper parts have 

 chestnut shaft-streaks and black terminal bands, and on the 

 breast and flanks are arrow-shaped black spots. Axillaries 

 grey. 



Alauda arvensis. 



The Sky-Larks of Japan diflPer in size as much as ours do, 

 the wing varying in length from 4*9 to 3"9 inches. They are 

 slightly more rufous than our birds, and might be called 

 var. japonica by ornithologists anxious to split hairs. A 

 smaller race, var. coelivox, also occurs in Japan, having the 

 wing varying from 3*7 to 3'2 inches. 



