304 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAIL MUSEUM. 
Tchitrea princeps T. Temm. et Schl. Faun. Japon., 1847, Aves, pl. xvii E, p. 47: 
Blakiston and Pryer, ‘Ibis,’ 1878, p. 234: idem, Trans. As. Soc. Japan, Vol. X. 
Pt. I. 1882, p. 148: Brit. Mus. Cat., Vol. IV, p. 361. 
Very abundant around Fuji in summer, breeding from the latter part 
of June until the middle of July. 
The flight of this bird is heavy and only sustained for short distances. 
It has none of the quick, nervous movements of the fly-catchers, but 
when flitting silently from tree to tree, or throwing itself headlong from 
some tall branch and catching an insect inits flight and alighting again 
with one long curve, it resembles a heavy-headed dart. The long tail, 
three times the length of the body, quite overbalances the bird and gives 
it this peculiar appearance when flying. 
The nest is placed in the deep fork of a small tree, sometimes sup- 
ported by the swaying branches of a Wisteria, and about 8 or 10 feet 
from the ground; generally near running water. It is composed of 
dried grass, strips of bark, and live moss, which is bound around the 
forks of the tree and trails down in some examples for a considerable 
distance below the nest. 
Some nests are garnished with pieces of lichen and the whole outside 
surface is bound together and smoothed off with spider webs. 
The nest is lined inside with fine moss roots. The eggs are rounded 
oval in shape and measure 20™™ by 16™™. The ground tint is a delicate 
pinkish or cream color, and they are much speckled on the side and 
around the butt with lilac blotches and spots of burnt sienna. 
The males do not attain the adult plumage until the third year; young 
males of the second year resemble the female, but are much darker and 
have longer tails. The colors of the soft parts of this bird are much 
more brilliant in life than they are represented in the ‘ Fauna Japonica’ 
plate, and the fleshy ring around the eye is larger. They are as follows: 
Tris blue-black; eyelids and bill bright cobalt blue; tarsi and toes 
bluish lead color. 
List of specimens. 
Original | Museum Sao 
number. | number. Locality. Date. Remarks. 
313 88654 Oijuve | MOjIevama\.o2..-snec cn oe June 27, 1882 | Iris blue-black. 
BOT a soe OpIWYs ences CO Siskiantes tees chemestte June 28, 1882 
BOOM | anne ae 1 el eee OO (ivissnats Seow s cassnewls June 29, 1882 
BOR Viledsbiorstehs roghe: + bya Wels (0 (aS Se ee June 30, 1882 
ON oN Senet Ricor Gusdey te sous OO eenmatan cool eoeeee June 30, 1882 
DD eel aeianise int fof Gt (Sen eek GN eee oda sencvbeace: June 30, 1882 
BIBT |e agentes (Oma ene MAS one bods Daacee June 30, 1882 
857 88653 Orad a ececa= 00 fetid. cess cceee seer June 30, 1882 
439 88651 ads, Wesson. DOocserenicsee asec scees July 5, 1882 
ABLE ON = seats Guadee| aoc OOtetas iocennme cesar July 8, 1882 
CGY) 6) Reo sane Ofad nena One eRe Sseeeses back July 8, 1882 
AQT ecsiea= stats vad onl easetes (HE SSeS aeISs5 SSA oN 5 July 13,1882 | Nest contained 3 eggs at this 
time. 
52. 88652 OT | ee DOncAs cotcewcemioceeeee July 15,1882} Accompanying nest and 4 
525 88655 Uveleeaaee WO ss sees oeee ences July 15,1882! eggs. 
55S. eae 3 iad ise Coes Coat toe eG July 19, 188 
Cowie le cieeiate = cine Aden) cs ene OO idee cdoclawe seetemus July 19, 1882 
BiG) i seccesimie Onad ey ee ee COycesnascesemn eeseee July 19, 1882 
AT ee Pee feficsi Gey eae Coste oes July 19, 1882 
[71 a eer ee a CS watches MOise ssa steed cooee ee July 23; 1882 
Cy Beet sere atleast CO eens nena tees aun July 29) 1882 
631 91378 g juv.| Chiusenji Lake............- Aug. 28; 1882 
