Catalogue of the Birds of Japan. 39 



159. PiCUS MAJOR, L. 



A skin brought from the neighbourhood of Yokohama by 

 Mr. Heywood Jones agrees with European examples. 



161. Picus Kisuo, T. &S. 



A skin brought by Mr. Heywood Jones agrees with Tem- 

 minck and Schlegel's description. 



Picus minor, Linn. 



The skin sent (No. 2346), from Yezo, is somewhat inter- 

 mediate in colour and size between the large brilliant form 

 of P. minor found in North Europe and Asia, and the small 

 dingy race found in West and Southern Europe. 



168. Halcyon coromandeliana (Scop.). 



The correct name of this Kingfisher is Halcyon coromancla 

 (Bodd.) . In Swinhoe^s collection there is a skin of this bird 

 collected by Mr. Blakiston at Hakodate, Avhich is no doubt 

 the skin referred to. Ceryle rudis must therefore be struck 

 out of the list of Japan birds. 



170. ZOSTEROPS JAPONICA, T. & S. 



The skin sent (No. 171) is correctly identified. 



172. HiRUNDO GUTTURALIS, ScOp. 



Dresser unites this bird with H. rustica, Linn., on the 

 ground that intermediate forms occur. In Swinhoe's col- 

 lection there is a fine series of twenty-six skins of H. 

 gutturalis from Japan, Peking, Formosa, Amoy, Hongkong, 

 and Hainan. In one skin from Amoy the pectoral band 

 which separates the chestnut throat from the white belly is 

 almost if not quite as dark as in European examples ; but in 

 most cases it is very narrow, and frequently only observable 

 on the sides of the breast. In two skins from Amoy a broad 

 black band crosses the longest under tail-coverts near their 

 apex. Young birds, besides having the outside rectrices 

 short, have less chestnut on the forehead and are much paler 

 in colour on the throat. Adult birds dated February, March, 

 May, July, November, and December show no seasonal 

 variation of colour. Until the intermediate forms have died 

 out, it will perhaps be best to consider the China and Japan 



