262 EXTRACTS FROM JOURNAL. 



and, lying concealed, imitate the call of the female, 

 shoot the cocks with a small single bullet. 



27th. — Violets are out on all the banks ; so is the 

 cuckoo plant. Birds are paired, and in some cases 

 building. I found two pair of ospreys on Isumi island, 

 each pair busily at work on their nests, which .were 

 within eighty yards of each other, on two old fir-trees. 

 By the size of the nests, they, I should imagine, had 

 done duty before. The young fronds of the ferns are 

 shooting, and the shrubs have a fresh green flush over 

 them. The blue rock-thrush is extremely active and 

 merry, flying from rock to rock, uttering his interesting 

 but rather spasmodic note. At other times of the year 

 he is comparatively a dull bird. 



ZQth. — Saw three woodcock. 



31s<. — To-day when walking over the rough moun- 

 tains on the south of Awadji Island, I found the bay- 

 tree, or rather shrub, in abundance — the first time I 

 have seen it out here, also a new kind of sweet daphne. 



April 8th. — Blowing a gale. Left Kobe for Oosima, 

 the most southern point of the Kii peninsula; wild 

 raspberries and cherries in blossom, cormorants and 

 mallard still about, — both breed in the neighbourhood. 

 Wheat is well in the ear ; beans and peas in full 

 blossom. 



