Birds. 



8279 



Mr. Maximovitch, who had killed them, pronounced to be identical 

 with those of the Amoor. The length was 16J, and wing 6|- inches. 

 Eye hazel-brown ; bill dark horn-colour ; feet leaden flesh ; over the 

 eye orange-red. This is, I believe, the first instance of this bird being 

 found in Japan ; probably it does not inhabit the more southern part 

 of the empire. As far as I saw, it has the same habits as the ruffed 

 grouse of North America {B. iimbellus). Four fine specimens, of 

 which the males had black throats, were shot on another occasion in 

 the thick woods. 



Respecting other game birds, Lagopus mutus is given in the 

 ' Fauna Japonica,' on the authority of a native drawing ; it will 

 perhaps turn out to be a winter visitant to Yesso. The quail [Coturnix 

 japonica) was collected at Hakodadi by Commodore Perry's Expedi- 

 tion, and plenty are caught and sold in the town ; besides I shot some 

 which I considered identical with the Chinese bird, but, my hands 

 being full with other birds at the time, none w r ere even skinned. 

 I have been informed of pheasants being seen in the neighbourhood 

 of Hakodadi, and that at a certain season of the year they are brought 

 in for sale : these may, however, be brought across the Strait of Tsugar 

 from the larger island of Nipon ; and although I was three months at 

 Hakodadi, I did not see a single pheasant, nor did I ever hear of one 

 being obtained there in a wild state. Mr. Maximovitch marks both 

 Phasianus versicolor and P. Soemmeringii as having been seen in the 

 hands of Japanese. 



Podiceps minor or phillipensis. A male specimen, agreeing with 

 the little grebe of Europe, is in my collection. I had another brought 

 me one day, which proved to be young on dissection ; it was too far 

 gone for me to preserve it. The upper parts were black ; under parts 

 mixed gray. Length 13 inches, and wing 6*3 inches. Mr. Maximo- 

 vitch considers he obtained the blackthroated diver (Colymbus arcti- 

 cus). The rednecked phalarope (Fhalaropus hyperborens), identical 

 with specimens from the Atlantic coast, was obtained by Commodore 

 Perry's Expedition, as well as the hornbilled guillemot (Uria mono- 

 cerata, Pallas). 



I preserved no specimens of Anatidae in Japan ; but the following 

 may be considered to belong to Northern Japan on good authority, 

 except such as are marked doubtful : — Cygnus musicus(?), Anser (sp. ?), 

 Anser bernicla (?), Anas boschas, Querquedula falcaria, Mareca Pene- 

 lope, Anas fusca(?), A. nigra (?), Dafila acuta, Nettion crecca, Spatula 

 clypeata, Fuligula clangula (?), Mergus serrator, M. merganser (?). 



The Japanese are very expert in netting water-fowl, and they bring 



