8o JOTTINGS ABOUT BIRDS. 



that the most nearly allied races and species are very 

 often inhabitants of the most distant areas, especially 

 in such cases where climatal and geographical con- 

 ditions in the two extreme points of distribution are 

 almost identical, with a great diversity of such 

 conditions prevailing in the intermediate area. The 

 nearest ally of the Common Jay (Garrulus glan- 

 darius) is a resident in the south island of Japan 

 (G-.japonicus) ; whilst in the intermediate portions 

 of Asia and in Northern Africa the Jays allied to 

 the British species present much greater diversity 

 in their distinguishing characters. The Waxwing 

 (Ampelis garrulus) is more distantly related to the 

 Waxwing of Japan (A. phcenicoptera) than it is to 

 the American Cedar Bird (A. cedrorum). The 

 Pied Wagtail (Mot a cilia alba yarrellii) of Western 

 Europe finds its nearest relation in the M. leucop.sis 

 of Eastern Asia, although it is so closely allied to 

 the White Wagtail (M. alba], that instances of its 

 interbreeding with that form have been recorded. 

 The Skylark (Alauda arvensis) of Europe is 

 almost identical with the Lark of Japan (A. japon- 

 ica), whilst the Skylark from Siberia (A. dulcivox], 

 is characterized by much more pronounced differ- 

 ences. The Common Sandpiper (Totanus hypo- 

 leucus) is most closely allied to the Spotted Sand- 



