53 PASSERES. 



13. ERITHACUS KOMADORI. 



(TEMMINCK^S ROBIN.) 



Syhia komudori, Temminck, Planches Colorizes, no. 570 (1835). 



Temminck's Robin has a black cbin and throat and black flanks 

 in the adult male, and in both sexes the upper parts are orange- 

 chestnut. The female has the feathers which are black in the male 

 creamy white with grey margins. 



Figures : Temminck and Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, Aves, pi. 21 c. 



Temminck's Robin was originally described from Japan, from 

 examples procured by the Siebold Expedition ^ but later ornitholo- 

 gists asserted that it was only known as a cage- bird iu that country, 

 and that the Japanese imported it from the Corea (Blakiston and 

 Pryer, Ibis, 1878, p. 239) ; nevertheless, no collectors on that penin- 

 sula have been able to discover it. Its home remained a mystery 

 untilit was brought from Yaye-yama Island in the southern group 

 of the Loo-Choo chain (Stejneger, Proc. United States Nat. Mus. 

 1887, p. 404). I have two fine males from Japau, but, like most 

 cage-birds, the tips of the quills and tail-feathers are imperfect. 



It appears to be quite distinct from Erithacus namiyei. In the 

 adult male the flanks are black instead of grey ; the under wing- 

 coverts are black margined with white, instead of grey margined 

 with rufous, and the axillaries are white with dark centres instead of 

 uniform grey. In the female the feathers of the throat and breast 

 are creamy white margined with grey, instead of being uniform 

 greyish brown, and the under tail-coverts are white instead of grey. 

 Very little reliance can be placed upon the alleged structural dififer- 

 ences between the two species, unless a much larger series of each 

 could be obtained, to correct the amount of individual variation that 

 usually occurs. It is, however, probable that Erithacus komadori has 

 a slightly shorter tail, a slightly shorter tarsus, a slightly shorter 

 bastard-primary, and a somewhat flatter and more pointed wing than 

 Erithacus namiyei. 



14. ERITHACUS CALLIOPE. 

 (SIBERIAN RUBY-THROATED ROBIN.) 



Motacilla calliope, Pallas, Reise Russ. Reicha, iii. p. 697 (1776). 

 The male of the Siberian Ruby-throated Robin has a gorgeous 



