60 THE LIU-KIU ISLANDS. [chap. 



we bargained for some of the curious horn and tortoise-shell pins 

 with which they decorate their hair. 



On arriving at our destination, which we learnt was called 

 T'skina,^ we found a charming house ready for us — the summer resi- 

 dence of the late king. We reposed on the snowy mats, and drank 

 the excellent tea provided for us. In front, a level lawn and a 

 border of bright flowers gave a wonderfully home-like aspect to the 

 scene, the more so from its forming so marked a contrast to the rest 

 of the garden. The large lotus-pond beyond, like the one we saw in 

 Shiuri, had a little island-temple in the centre, connected by two 

 quaint stone bridges with the land. The scene, with its background 

 of dark pines, lent itself so admirably to photography, that I took 

 advantage of it, to the great mystification of some of the Liu-kiuans. 

 Being, however, even more anxious to secure ornithological speci- 

 mens than photographs, I started on a naturalist's ramble, in the 

 hope that the shady groves of the garden might prove a productive 

 hunting-ground. Hitherto, wherever we had been, collecting had 

 been rendered an impossibility by the crowds of people sur- 

 rounding us. But here, in spite of the quiet and retirement of the 

 spot, I was not more fortunate. Hardly a bird was to be seen, 

 and I returned empty-handed to the house. In the account of 

 Commodore Perry's expedition to the islands, the extreme paucity 

 of bird-life is noticed. From the Liu-kius not being truly oceanic 

 islands — geological and other evidences tending to show that they 

 were in all probability at some time or other connected with the 

 mainland — this would hardly be expected, but it was certainly 

 borne out by our own experience. The shortness of our visit, 

 however, and the crowds by which we were constantly surrounded, 

 prevented any real work in this direction, and the islands still 

 remain an almost virgin ground for any future explorer, both in 

 this as well as other branches of natural history. 



Close to this summer residence of the king are the ruins of 

 another castle, which are said to cover a great extent of ground. 

 1 Probably identical with Commodore Perry's Tima-gusko ; gusko meaning castle. 



