80 - Extracts from Diary in Japan. 



production, and the Government have imported filateurs 

 from France to improve the silk manufacture. 



Paper-making is one of the arts developed to the greatest 

 extent. The paper is said to be manufactured by cottagers 

 and farmers from the bark of the mulberry (the inner bark 

 being separated from the outer), macerated by boiling, and 

 pounded into a pulp with rice-water and spread out in thin 

 layers; the outer bark being made into a coarse paper. 

 Several European paper-mills have been erected where the 

 paper is made from rags, &c.; these mills produce good 

 white paper. The Japanese paper is of yellow cast, but is 

 extremely tough, and is used for waterproof coats, windows, 

 umbrellas (parapluis), tobacco pouches, and a variety of other 

 purposes, and last, not least, for pocket-handkerchiefs. 



Very many of the birds are identical with those of Europe. 

 The sparrow is seen everywhere in large quantities ; and 

 although pyrgita montana, the tree sparrow of Europe, it 

 breeds almost entirely in houses, and has exactly the habit 

 of the London sparrow; but the plumage of the female is 

 similar to that of the male. 



The hawfinch (cocco thraustes vulgaris), bullfinch (loxia 

 pyrrhula), crossbill (loxia curvirostra), bramblefinch (fringilla 

 montifringilla), redpole (Lynota linaria), siskin (carduelis 

 spinus), greenfinch (cocco thraustes chloris), house swallow 

 (which migrates, appearing again on 5th April), skylark, 

 pippet-lark, long- tail titmouse_, large tomtit, small tomtit, 

 wren, golden-crested wren, jay, waxwing, nuthatch, &c., are 

 the same as those of Europe, with English song and call — 

 that is, the song and call are exactly similar to those of 

 the same species in England. There are numerous others, 

 such as the linnet, which difier from the European species, 

 and very many which are not found in Europe. The birds 

 of prey are, many of them, identical with those of Europe. 



The reptiles appear to difier from those of Europe. There 

 are several species of snakes which are very abundant, many 

 of them frequenting the trees ; all are harmless excepting 

 the marmouchi, which closely resembles the adder of 

 England. 



The most wonderful reptile is the Sieboldia maxima, a 

 large animal about four feet in length, very robust, and 

 nearly black, with four legs and fiattened tail, resembling in 

 character the water eft or newt ; it is found in the rivers, 

 and is harmless. Baron Siebold had a fine live specimen, 



