qA Hall, The Eastern PalcearcLica and A iislraiia. [,st^"oct 



Of the Yellow Wagtails, one [Motacilla flava taivana), collected 

 at Yarkutsk, migrates also to Malay Peninsula (Map VIII., b 

 to a'). 



I met two Flycatchers of the genus Musckapa in Siberia, and, 

 though the genus is a large one, we have no member of it in Aus- 

 tralia. One interesting northern form is Terpsiphone, so often 

 figured on Japanese screens, with its tail twice the length of its 

 body. Of this great family Dr. Leach records approximately 

 half as being found in Australia. 



Fish-Hawks {Pandion) are w^ell distributed birds with inter- 

 esting habitats. In the Houtman Abrolhos Islands of Western 

 Australia they nest on sand beaches ; in Kamchatka, on sea-beach 

 rocks ; in dense forests in Western Palaearctica (Mnland). The 

 commonest Buzzards are of the genus Biiteo, found all over the 

 world excepting the AustraUan region. One {B. solitarius) has 

 been recorded as a visitor. We call our Gypoictinia a Buzzard. 

 In Siberia I collected male and female of a Biiteo that might well 

 be Archibuteo, excepting for its feathered tarsi. The bird collected 

 was the light variety {A. lagopus paUidus) of the European species, 

 which is known to come east as far as the Lena. On the Lena 

 there are both representatives. The species migrates to Natal 

 from the Arctic, and I wonder if the sub-species goes there or is 

 content with India as its range. The sub-species is also found 

 in Alaska, and as the Alaskan birds migrate to Burma it will 

 probably do so, Biitasiiir teesa (White-eyed Buzzard) is found 

 about Corea, occasionally visiting Northern Austraha. This 

 w^ould be its extreme limit. The Eastern Red-footed Kestrel 

 {Cerchneis amurcnsis) makes a migratory passage to Abyssinia. 



I secured two Owls : the Short-eared Owl {Asio accipitriniis) is 

 distrilnited practically all over the world except the Australian 

 Region ; the Long-eared Owl {A. otiis) is found, approximately, 

 only north of the equator. Although I was travelling in the 

 district of the Snowy Owl [Nydca), I had to be content \nth the 

 hearing of it. 



Ducks were numerous in parts, but were mostly quietly away 

 nesting. In Corea, where I expected great numbers, they had 

 gone north, and the Chinese species had not yet come up to take 

 their place. A Widgeon that winters in Polynesia I saw in 

 Siberia — Mareca penelope. Polynesia is very feeble in species of 

 Ducks. The Baikal Teal {Eiinetta formosa) has a tail hidden by 

 its coverts. In travelling across on the great ice-breaker I saw 

 a small flock. Of five other species collected, one was Anas 

 boschas, the English Mallard. 



We collected the Bean Goose {Anser anser serrirostris) on the 

 lower reaches of the Lena. Great flocks pass Yarkutsk at the 

 end of April going north (early May, Russian time), and it is said 

 by a postman there tliat the ])irds return via the Okhotsk Sea. 

 They would thus annually move in an oval, as in winter they are 

 found in Japanese waters. It seems possible they make up the 

 valley of the Aldan and across to Okhotsk, working down to 



