8280 



Birds. 



in numbers to Hakodadi caught in that way. For ducks and teal the 

 usual method is to clear away the grass from a swamp for a space of 

 about 35 by 20 yards, so as to form a clear surface of open water, 

 likely to attract the birds at feeding-time. Across this several nets 

 are stretched, which are fastened to cords attached to stakes on either 

 side, and hang vertically over the water, being about 2 feet above it 

 at the bottom, and about 6 feet high. The net is made of fine twine, 

 and with large meshes, so that it is not easily seen, and, being allowed 

 to bag, easily entangles the birds when they fly against it in skimming 

 over the surface of the pool before alighting. The evening is the prin- 

 cipal time for the operation, and men sit watching the nets from small 

 turf huts or screens made of branches. These duck-catchers mostly 

 occupy themselves in cutting grass during the clay. In October I saw 

 a great many of these places, and probably the same plan is adopted 

 in the spring. 



One cormorant at least is very abundant at Hakodadi, and Mr. 

 Maximovitch obtained a specimen which he called Carbo cormoranus 

 of the * Fauna Japonica.' 



In closing this sketch of the birds of Northern Japan, so far as they 

 are at present known, my thanks are due to Dr. P. L. Sclater for 

 having examined my specimens, and as editor of the e Ibis ' for cor- 

 recting and inserting scientific names of species and references to 

 authorities. I have only to urge as an excuse for a more extended 

 list that, during the latter part of my three months' residence in the 

 country, I was engaged on some work at that time of more importance, 

 although not so interesting to me as Ornithology. As we sailed steadily 

 out of the bay before a light breeze, on the 6th of November, and 

 passed between the mountain-head and the whitened cliffs of the 

 opposite shore, shoals of bonitos played around our vessel, chasing 

 the smaller inhabitants of the clear sea-water ; the peak of the volcano 

 of Comanataki, visible in the distance, grew dimmer and dimmer; the 

 shore lines became gradually indistinct ; the opening to the broad 

 Pacific seemed to our eyes to become narrower and narrower ; and 

 we said good-bye to Hakodadi. 



[In the parts omitted for the sake of brevity the following birds 

 familiar to English ornithologists are mentioned : the stonechat, the 

 gray wagtail, the cole tit, the great spotted woodpecker, the cuckoo, 

 the siskin and the mountain sparrow. — E. Newman.] 



