Notes from Japan. 159 



49. Iyxgipicus kisuki (Temm.). Japanese Pigmy Wood- 

 pecker. 



Ti/ngipicus kisuki Seebolini, B. Jap. Emp. p. 15G. 



Jap. : Kogera. 



Near Kioto I met with the true /. kisuki. Even in life it 

 may be seen to have a much dai'ker crown than the more 

 northern or mountain form (/. kisuki seebohmi), which is not 

 very rare in the mountains round Chuzenji or on Fujiyama. 

 Jouy (Proe. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1883) speaks of these birds 

 as almost invariably associated with flocks of Tils, but I 

 cannot concur with this statement^ as I never once found 

 them in company with any of the Paridse; if they flock 

 with them at all it must be, I think, in the autumn or winter 

 months, when many species are known to gather together. 



These Pigmy Woodpeckers are by no means shy, and I had 

 the opportunity of watching one for some time, as it was 

 feeding within a few feet of me, gathering quantities of 

 ants from the bough of a cherry-tree. Its note is a small, 

 rasping, cheet, cheet. 



50. TuRTUR oRiENTALis (Lath.). Eastern Turtle-Dovc. 

 Tiirtur orientalis Seebohm, B. Jap. Emp. p. 160. 



Jap. : Kiji-bato. 



I did not find this bird very common ; but fair numbers 

 were observed in and about Kioto, as well as on the sides of 

 Fujiyama, though no eggs were taken. 



51. CucuLUs CANORUs Linn. Common Cuckoo. 

 Cuculus canorus Seebohm, B. Jap. Emp. p. 1G9. 

 Jap. : Kakko, 



This bird did not arrive in the Subashiri district in any 

 numbers until the last few days of May. It seemed to 

 shew a preference for the higher parts of the forest and was 

 very plentiful at five thousand feet, where the other Cuckoos 

 were either very scarce or altogether absent. I could not 

 detect that its cry differed in any way from that uttered by 

 European examples of the species. The Japanese collector 

 assured me that he was able to distinguish the eggs of all 

 the four parasitic birds found in the neighbourhood ; but he 



