, jays, starlings, swifts, goatsuckers, and some others,
which, though distinct _species_ from our own, have the same general
appearance, and give a familiar aspect to the ornithology. There remains,
however, a considerable body of Chinese and Siberian species, which link
the islands to the neighbouring parts of the continent; and there are also
a few which are Malayan or Himalayan rather than Chinese, and thus afford
us an interesting problem in distribution.

The seventeen species and sub-species which are altogether peculiar to
Japan proper, are for the most part allied to birds of North China and
Siberia, but three are decidedly tropical, and one of them--a fruit pigeon
(_Treron sieboldi_)--has no close ally nearer than Burmah and the
Himalayas. In the following list the affinities of the species are
indicated wherever they have been ascertained:--

LIST OF THE SPECIES OF LAND BIRDS PECULIAR TO JAPAN.

1. _Accentor rubidus._ Nearly allied to our hedge-sparrow, and less
closely to the Central Asian _A. immaculatus._

(1a. _Hypsipetes amaurotis._ Migrates to the Corea, otherwise
peculiar.)

2. _Zosterops japonica._ Allied to two Chinese species.

3. _Lusciniola pryeri._

4. _Garrulus japonicus._ Allied to the Siberian and British Jays.

5. _Fringilla kawarahiba._ Allied to the Chinese greenfinch.

6. _Emberiza ciopsis._ Allied to the E. Siberian bunting _E. cioides_,
of which it may be considered a sub-species.

7. ,, _yessoensis._ A distinct species.

8. ,, _personata._ A sub-species of _E. spodocephala._

9. _Gecinus awokera._ A distinct species of green woodpecker.

10. _Picus namiyei._ Allied to a Formosan species.

11. _Treron sieboldi._ Allied to _T. sphenura_ of the Himalayas, and to
a Formosan species.

12. _Carpophaga ianthina._ A distinct species of fruit-pigeon.

13. _Bubo blakistoni._ Allied to a Philippine eagle-owl.

14. _Scops semitorgues._ A distinct species.

15. _Phasianus versicolor._ A distinct species.

16. ,, _soemmeringi._ A distinct species.

17. ,, _scintillaus._ A sub-species of the last.

The large number of seventeen peculiar species in the outlying Bonin and
Loo Choo Islands is an interesting feature of Japanese ornithology. The
comparative remoteness of {399} these islands, their mild sub-tropical
climate and luxuriant vegetation, and perhaps the absence