iv PREFACE. 



The interest attaching to Geographical Distribution is so great 

 that it is not necessary to apologize for the amount of space devoted 

 to the consideration of the breeding-range of each species, and of the 

 subspecies or local races of those that vary in different parts of their 

 range. The interest to be derived from the study of the Geogra- 

 phical Distribution of genera has been to a large extent destroyed 

 by the number of unimportant subgenera which have been elevated 

 to generic rank. I have endeavoured to place these pseudogenera in 

 their proper position as much as possible, but much yet remains to 

 be done in this direction. It is, of course, impossible to study the 

 Geographical Distribution of the higher groups until their respective 

 limits have been determined. Of these the subdivisions of the Pas- 

 seres present the greatest difficulty, and with some slight modifica- 

 tions I have adopted those defined by Mr. Gates (Fauna of British 

 India, Birds, i. p. 8), which seem to me to be a distinct advance 

 upon previous arrangements. In the higher groups I have followed 

 the scheme explained in detail in my ' Classification of Birds,' and 

 have included the diagnoses of the subclasses, orders, and suborders 

 which are not represented in Japan as well as those which are. 

 The absence of a group is often quite as interesting as the presence 

 of others, especially the absence of those whose range almost, but 

 not quite, reaches the district treated of. Further, by making the 

 list of suborders, orders, and subclasses complete, it has given me an 

 opportunity of correcting some inaccuracies in my former work. 



I have divided the subject of the Birds of Japan into three sections. 

 The first treats of the Literature relating to Japanese Birds. The 

 second section relates to their Geographical Distribution in the 

 Japanese Empire, and during the breeding-season outside its limits. 

 To this is appended a table of comparison of the number of species 

 in each suborder, and in the case of the Passeres in each subfamily, 

 which have been recorded from the British Islands with those which 

 have been found in the Japanese Empire. I have concluded this 

 section with some remarks. on the important fact that there are many 



