;;} 



Catalogue of the Birds of Japan. 35 



218. MoTACILLA MELANOPE, Pall, 



This is the common Grey Wagtail of Europe {Motacilla 

 boarula auctorum, nee Scopoli) . 



219. Calamodyta maacki, Schrenck. 



222. Herbivox cantillans ?, T. & S. 

 The two skins sent are Acrocephalus bistrigiceps, Swinh. 



{Ibis^ 1860^ p. 51, Jan.) — a name which takes precedence, 

 though only by five months, of Salicaria [Calamodyta) 

 maacki, Schrenck (Reis. u. Forsch. ira Amurlande, i. p. 370, 

 1860, June). 



220. Calamodyta insularis, WaU. 



Correctly identified by Swinhoe, who described this species 

 as Calamoherpe fumigata. I have endeavoured to prove (see 

 above, p. 15) that both these names must give way to Aa'o- 

 cephalusfasciolatus, Gray ; and in ' The Ibis ' for 1878, p. 490, 

 I have pointed out that this bird is a Locustella, and must 

 stand as Locustella fasciolata (Gray). 



223. Herbivox cantans, T. & S. 



After carefully examining the series of types of Salicaria 

 cantans and *S^. cantillans in the Leyden Museum, I have no 

 hesitation in refei'ring them to one species. The larger birds 

 are principally males, and the smaller ones females. They 

 vary in length of wing from 2'2 inches to 2" 7. The name 

 cantillans must therefore sink into a synonym of cantans. 



This species is very nearly allied to Arudinnax canturiens, 

 Swinh., but differs from the Chinese bird in being more olive 

 in colour. In 1871 (P. Z. S. p. 353) Swinhoe remov^ed these 

 birds from the genus Arundinaoc, and placed them in a new 

 genus Herbivox. In this, however, he was forestalled by 

 Salvadori, who in the previous year (Atti R. Ace. d. Sc. di 

 Tor. V. p. 510) had established the genus Homochlamys for 

 their reception. It is somewhat remarkable that neither of 

 these authors mentions, as a character of his new genus, the 

 important fact tliat these birds have only teu instead of 

 twelve tail-feathers. Both these generic terms Avill, how- 

 ever, in all probability have to be consigned to the limbo of 

 synonyms. 



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