370 



ISLAND LIFE. 



[part II. 



6. Zosterops japonica. Allied to a migratory Chinese species. 



7. Chelidon hlaldstoni. Allied to C. whiteleyi of N. China. 



8. Chlorospiza hawaraliiha. Allied to C. sinica of China and Japan. 



9. Emheriza ciopsis. A sub-species of the E. cioides of N. China. 



10. Emheriza yessoensis. Allied to the Siberian ^. passerina. 



11. Euspiza variahilis. A very distinct species. 



12. Picus kisuld. Allied to P. pygmceus of Central Asia. 



13. Gccinus aicohera. Allied to G. canus (N.China), and G. viridis, Europe. 



14. MuUeripicus richardsL Allied to M. crawfurdi of Pegu. In Tzus 



Sirna Island ( P. Z. S. 1879, p. 386). 



15. Treron sieholdi. Allied to T. sphenura (Himalayas), and T. korthalsi, 



Java. 



16. Accipiier gularis. A sub-species of the Malayan A. virgatus (also in 



Formosa). 



17. Buteo hemilasius. A distinct species. 



18. Syrniuni rufescens. A sub-species of S. uralense of E. Europe and 



Siberia. 



Japan birds recurring in distant areas. — The most interesting 

 feature in the ornithology of Japan is, undoubtedly, the pre- 

 sence of several species which indicate an alh'ance with such 

 remote districts as the Himalayas, the Malay Islands, and 

 Europe. Among the peculiar species, the most remarkable of 

 this class are, — the fruit-pigeon of the genus Treron, entirely un- 

 known in China, but reappearing in Formosa and Japan; the 

 Hypsipetes, whose nearest ally is in South China at a distance 

 of nearly 500 miles ; and the jay (Gamdus jajjonicus), whose 

 close ally (6r. glandarius) inhabits Europe only, at a distance of 

 3,700 miles. But even more extraordinary are the following 

 non-peculiar species : — Spizaetus orientalis, a crested eagle, in- 

 habitiug the Himalayas, Formosa, and Japan, but unknown in 

 China ; Ceryle guttata, a spotted kingfisher, entirely confined to 

 the Himalayas and Japan ; and Halcyon coromanda, a brilliant 

 red kingfisher inhabiting Northern India, the Malay Islands to 

 Celebes, Formosa, and Japan. We have here an excellent illus- 

 tration of the favourable conditions which islands afford both 

 for species which elsewhere live further south (Halcyon coro- 

 manda), and for the preservation in isolated colonies of species 

 which are verging towards extinction ; for such we must consider 

 the above-named eagle and kingfisher, both confined to a very 

 limited area on the continent, but surviving in remote islands. 



