148 THE KII COAST. 



note a few more of the most interesting. The osprey 

 {Pandion haliaetus) breeds on the pinnacle rocks, and in 

 the fork of large fir-trees. I have seen six nests within 

 a quarter of a mile. The peregrine falcon likewise has 

 its nest here. The sparrow-hawk, kestrel, kite (Milvus 

 melanotis), buzzard, and one or two species of owl are 

 common. A single species of sea-eagle I also met with. 

 About this bird I was and am still rather puzzled. 

 The mature bird has the tail white ; I say so because 

 in Korea I found this bird breeding when in this 

 plumage. In the north of Japan I never found them 

 breeding unless both tail and head were white. In the 

 south I never once saw the bird with both tail and 

 head white ; and if I had not found it actually breed- 

 ing on the islands off Korea with the tail only white, 

 I should then have said the bird breeds in the north, 

 and is merely a visitor in the south. Are these birds 

 the same — the variety in plumage being due to 

 locality — or are they a different species ? I incline to 

 their being distinct. 



Sheep do not answer in the south, in fact cannot 

 live there, owing to the coarse saw-toothed grass which 

 alone flourishes in these parts. It appears to choke 

 these animals. Deer manage, as I have previously 

 mentioned, to find it sufficient for their wants, but not 

 fattening. I have no doubt in the least that sheep 



