BIRDS COLLECTED INJAPAN. 217 



found in the fact that the wheat was ripe and partially harvested before we left, (June 24th,) so 

 that, during the time of our efforts, they were enabled to fill their crops occasionally from the 

 wheat-fields and lie very close in the hills during the day, without being under the necessity of 

 wandering in search of food. 



" The note of one or the other of these species of pheasants was heard frequently. On the 

 top of a precipitous hill, about a mile south of Simoda, covered by small pines and a very thick 

 growth of shrubbery, a pheasant (so we were assured by the Japanese) passed the weary hours 

 while his mate was on her nest, and very sensibly solaced himself and her with such music as 

 he was capable of making. It was, however, anything but melodious, and may be represented 

 as a sort of compound of the filing of a saw and the screech of a peacock. There are two notes 

 only, uttered in quick succession, and represented by the Japanese name of the bird — Ki-ji ; but 

 the second note is much longer, louder, and more discordant, in fact has more of the saw-filing 

 character — Kee-jaeae. These two notes are uttered, and if the bird is not disturbed they are 

 repeated in about five minutes. A good many attempts, perhaps twenty, to become better 

 acquainted with this individual, all failed. It seemed impossible to make him fly, though his 

 covert was by no means extensive. 



" This is about all I saw or heard of these birds during a stay of more than two months at 

 Simoda, (from April 17th to June 24, 1854,) and I much regret that it is not in my power to 

 give a more satisfactory account of them." 



COTTJRNLX JAPONICA, Temm. et Schlegel. 



Coturnix vulgaris japonica, Temm. et Schleg. Faun. Jap. Aves, p. 103, (1850.) 



The Japanese Quail. 



Temm. and Schleg. Faun. Jap. Aves, pi. 61. 



Our specimens show the characters quite distinctly which are pointed out by the learned 

 authors of Fauna Japonica as distinguishing the Japanese bird from the common quail of cen- 

 tral and southern Europe. These characters are, however, rather slight, though apparently 

 constant. Collected at Hakodadi, May, 1854. " Eye orange." 



4. OEDEE GEALLATOEES.— The Wading Birds. 



GALLINAGO SOLITARIA, (Hodgson.) 



Scolopax solitaria, Hodgson Proc. Zool. Soc, London, 1836, p. 8. 



Temm. and Schleg. Faun. Jap. Aves, pi. 68. 



A large species, inhabiting Japan and northern India. Our specimens are of both sexes, 

 rery nearly resembling each other, the female being rather paler in the dark tints of the 

 plumage. The male is represented in the plate cited above. "Hakodadi, May, 1854." 



Mr. Heine says: "This snipe was not uncommon in the vicinity of Hakodadi, where it kept 

 in the meadows and marshy woods." 



GALLINAGO STENTJRA, (Temminck.) 



Scolopax stenura, Temminck. 



Scolopax Horsfleldlt, Gray 111. Ind. Zool. II, (name on plate. 1834.) 

 Scolopax biclavata, Hodgson Proc. Zool. Soc, London, 1837, p. 491. 

 "Scolopax gallinago, Linn.," Temm. and Schleg. Faun. Jap., p. 112. 

 Gray and Hardw. 111. Ind. Zool., II, pi. 54. 



