Birds. 8275 



box, but as he was already pretty well loaded with our heavy boots 

 aud the smaller birds we made the kites into a bundle, which I shoul- 

 dered. It would have done many an ornithologist good to have seen 

 us trudging homewards without shoes, stockings or coats, and followed 

 by our faithful " ankow " (boy). When we reached Kamida, the village 

 previously spoken of, we stopped at a native house of call, where we 

 procured a cup of Japanese tea, and then went off for a bathe in the 

 creek. But our ornithological adventures had not ended, for we came 

 upon some ducks while bathing, and ray friend started off in chase, 

 perfectly naked, wading up the middle of the stream, gun in hand, 

 with the water nearly to his armpits ; he, however, did not get a shot. 

 After this we walked into the town. The effect of the sun and salt 

 water, from having walked so long with bare legs, did not w^ear off 

 for some days, and we felt as if we had had mustard plasters applied 

 to our shins and calves, which kept alive in our recollection for some 

 time our ornithological walk. 



I must conclude my notes on the Falconidae by mentioning that 

 although I frequently observed harriers in the neighbourhood of Hako- 

 dadi in the autumn in the fine slate and white plumage of the adults, 

 yet I did not shoot one. In like manner on a ievr occasions I observed 

 eagles, and two young ones were kept alive by a gentleman and sent to 

 Shanghai. Their plumage was dark chocolate and black, with horn- 

 coloured bill, and feet straw-colour. Of owls I did not preserve a 

 single specimen, but Mr. Maximovitch considers that among his col- 

 lection he had Strix nyctea, Otus semitorques and Scops japonicus, 

 while I myself had three in confinement for some days. One of them 

 was a small-eared species with yellow eyes; another a medium-sized 

 eared one, also with yellow eyes; and a third. a small species with 

 reddish eyes. On another occasion, while on an excursion, when we 

 slept near the foot of the volcano of Comanataki, I saw a large kind 

 of owl at night. 



[Omitting several pages of less interest, I proceed with Captain 

 Blakiston's account of Parus rubidus and Sitta roseilia.] 



Parus ruhidus. A single specimen was selected from a number of 

 this well-marked species; it was obtained from a native birdcatcher. 

 Being a common species, and very lively and interesting in confine- 

 ment, this is a favourite cage-bird with the Japanese. As the autumn 

 draws on and the summer residents somewhat regain the freshness of 

 their plumage, spoiled by the labours of incubation, while other birds 

 which have passed the summer in more northern climes arrive in the 



