FAUNA. This is Oa as rich as the Horn, yet the country can boast of at least 150 species of mammals. 359 of birds, 300 of reptiles and batra chians, a great number of kinds of fishes, of which 358 species were described by Siebold. Also over 1200 species of mollusea are mentioned in the books; and, aceording to the best authorities, 2t3 kinds of sea-urchins, and 12 species of star-lishes are found. At the head of the mammals stands the red-cheeked sarn or monkey (hunts sperio sus), which lends its name as a qualifier to tho name of many a place and plant. and whose tech is esteemed a delicacy. The sant is sometimes as far north as the forty-first parallel of latitude, where in winter snow often lies 15 to 20 feet deep. and the thermometer registers many degrees below zero. Among the 10 species of cheiroptera peculiar to the country are several bats, and of the insect-eaters are the mugura, or Japanese mole, and several kinds of shrew-mouse. The hedgehog is anknown. The earnivora include three species of bear—the common black hear (I'rsus japonicas). the 'red bear.' also called the great bear (Ursus fcro.r), much reverenced by the Ainos. and the ice-hear (I'rsas maritimus), an in voluntary visitor luought to Yezo and the Kuriles by the Artie current. The tomiki, or badger, sometimes called the 'bamboo bear,' whose flesh is eaten. oceans everywhere. The tiger is known only from Chinese literature and art, while the wolf of the country, known as lama-inn, or `mountain dog,' is not numerous. The fox is found everywhere and, like the monkey and the badger. plays a very important part in folk-lore and the superstitions of the country. (See Fox.) Among the fur-hearing animals are the martin, the fish-otter, the sea-otter, and the itarhi, or weasel. Rodents are numerous and include two species of ki-nedzmni ('tree-rats') or squirrels, two flying squirrels, and rats. which are so nu merous and so much of a pest that the Japanese Government has offered rewards for their exter mination. The common house-mouse is unknown.
11;tres exist everywhere. Two species of deer are found.
The avifauna includes many species which are familiar in the Old World, showing very slight differences in color and size, as for instance the robin, the enekoo, the woodpecker. the ice
bird, the hoopoo, and the jay. The cuckoo, how eve•, is not very common. The sparrow. the house-.wallow. and the thrush are the commonest and most numerous. Eagles, falcons, and kites are seen, as well as the wood-chat, the magpie, and the Korean raven. There are several species of singing, birds, but the uguisu. or Japanese nightingale, is the most conspicuous. Blackbirds and the singing thrushes are absent. There are two species of kiji, or pheasant: the Phosianus rersico/or, ended Mama deli, or 'mountain-bird,' by the Japanese. and the copper pheasant. or Phasianus .su•nincring. Wild pigeons abound and quail and snipe arc fairly abundant. The wild duck and geese also furnish many a shot for the sportsman. The crane and the silver heron are the most popular of the waders. The former. the symbol of longevity, has a prominent place in Japanese art. The latter faithfully keeps company with the peasant in the riee-fields all slimmer.
The manntshi ( Trigonocepholus idotaho/i) is the only poisonous snake of the eight species found in Japan proper. Another. called the habit, exists in Lon-ehoo. The inamushi. skinned and cooked. is used as a 'nerve-strengthening' food. Four sea-snakes make their way to the islands in summer. Of the three species of lizard one. the ya-mori, or 'house-warden,' frequents dwellings and is an expert tly-catcher. Marine turtles. of which there are three species, are 'nest numerous in the Bonin Islands. The karne, a river tortoise, another symbol of longevity. is one of the four supernatural creatures of Chinese and Japanese mythology. It is found as far north as Yezo, but is not common. There are several species of frogs and toads, but they differ little from those found in Europe and America. The mountain newt ( Loci rt fl japonica), when boiled and dried, enriches the Japanese pharma copeia as as vermifuge. The most remarkable of this class is the 'giant salamander,' extinct else where, but still found in the rivers. It is some times captured for the sake of its flesh.