On the Birds of the Volcano Islands. 189 



XIX. — On the Birds of the Volcano Islands. 

 By Henry Seebohm, F.Z.S. 



Since my paper on the Birds of the Bonin Islands (Ibis, 

 1890^ pp. 95-108) was published Mr. Hoist has visited the 

 Volcano Islands, and has sent me a box of birds' skins and 

 eggs from Sulphur Island, the central one of the group. 



The Volcano Islands lie south of the Bonin Islands, in the 

 same latitude as the north of Formosa, and in the same longi- 

 tude as the east of the main island of Japan. Sulphur Island 

 is a low, flat, narrow stretch of land, about five miles long, 

 with what appears to be an extinct volcano, about 600 feet 

 high, in the south-west. The centre is very barren, principally 

 black sand and grey clay, with a few dried-up tufts of grass, 

 and an occasional hardy bush. Everywhere are scattered 

 stones and rocks, especially to the north-east, and in the 

 centre are three or four big blocks of rock, two or three 

 hundred feet high. To the south-east of these rocks is a 

 plain of what seemed to be pure sulphur, which was boiling 

 furiously in three or four holes when visited by Mr. Hoist. 

 Close to the north shore are some hot springs. There are a 

 few large trees on the island, and both in the north-east and 

 in the south-east is dense low scrub, bound together with 

 climbers. Forty miles north of Sulphur Island is the island 

 of San Alessandro, a steep and almost inaccessible mountain, 

 some 2500 feet high. The following birds were observed on 

 Sulphur Island. 



MoNTICOLA CYANUS SOLITARIUS. 



The Eastern Blue Rock Thrush was not very common. 



Hypsipetes squamiceps. 



The Bonin Island Bulbul was not very common. 



Cettia diphone. 



The Bonin Bush Warbler was common. Two examples 

 were sent, 



ZoSTEROPS JAPONICUS ? 



Six examples of a White-eye were sent, five of them in 

 spirits, and one which had been in spirits. The latter has a 



SER. VI. VOL. III. p 



