GAME-BIRDS — HERONS AND STORK 33 



Like its relative, the almost equally large black and white Korean species, this 



giant eagle possesses a remarkably loud and piercing cry. 



The osprey, an inhabitant of almost all countries, is also a member of the 



Siberian fauna. The honey-buzzard, which inhabits not only Europe but has been 



found in Japan and near Peking and breeds in Scandinavia up to the Arctic Circle, 



is probably indigenous to the greater part of Siberia, in which country the black 



kite ranges as far east as the Lena, while its relative, the red kite, begins to be 



rare at the Urals. The sparrow-hawk and the gos-hawk are, however, met with 



right across to the far east. The marsh-harrier, although more frequent west of the 



Altai, reaches the Amur. The hen-harrier is found within the same latitudes as 



far east as Japan, but does not range far north, the same being the case with 



Montagu's harrier, whose habitat extends to China. 



As regards its game-birds, Siberia is very similar to central 

 Game -Birds. ° ° J 



and northern Europe, the black-cock ranging as far east as the 

 Stanovoi Mountains. The hazel-hen is also found thus far ; but in Kan-su, and 

 perhaps farther north, is replaced by Severtzow's hazel-hen (Tetrastes severtzowi). 

 The capercaillie ranges into this part of northern Asia, as do the willow-grouse 

 and ptarmigan. The quail is met with as far east as northern China; but the 

 partridge is represented in the area under consideration by the bearded partridge 

 (Perdix daurica), which also inhabits Mongolia and China. Somewhat smaller 

 than the European partridge, this is distinguished by the bright buff breast, the 

 black patch on the lower surface, and the long feathers on the chin and throat. 

 Herons and With the bare mention that neither the ring-dove nor the 



stork. turtle-dove is found very far east, it may be observed that the 

 herons are chiefly restricted to warmer countries, although the common species, 

 which is of very wide distribution, occurs in Siberia, where it is more abundant 

 along the southern border. The bittern is also found there, at least in certain 

 localities ; and the warmer parts of Siberia are visited by the two European 

 representatives of the stork tribe, the white and the black stork. 

 Rails, Bustard, Among the rail-like birds, the European coot ranges from Europe 



and crane, to China and Japan ; the little bustard is found as far east as China, 

 while south-west Siberia is the northern home of the land-rail, which reaches the 

 Lena River ; the water- rail ranging to the Amur. The European crane occurs in 

 Kamchatka, but the great bustard is unknown beyond the Lena. 



The snipe family is represented by the European woodcock, 



which is a true northern bird, in the farthest east, while western 



Siberia is the principal home of the jack snipe, and the common snipe ranges as 



far east as China and Japan, as does the great snipe. 



The curlew is common not only in northern Europe but also in 

 Curlew. 



Siberia and as far east as Japan, while its relative the whimbreJ 



{Numenius phceopus) is a true northern bird. The latter breeds in the north 

 of Asia and Europe, whence it migrates south, to appear regularly every year on 

 some parts of the shores of the Baltic, as, for instance, on Riigen and the neigh- 

 bouring island Hiddensee, on the coasts of Schleswig-Holstein, and the German 

 shores of the North Sea as far as east Friesland. It arrives in considerable 

 numbers in Holland and the British Isles, but in France, Switzerland, and central 



VOL. II. — ^ 



