Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 11.djvu/142

* JAPAN. 124 JAPAN. prized in the makin<r of l.aoquer-ware : the hoyn- ki, or Japanese elm (PUincra japomca), in eabi- network; and tlie box for combs. The hajimo ki. or wax-tree, grows profusely on the hillsides and round the edges of the cultivated fields in Kiu- shiii. and the eoeoatree. the banyan-tree, and the banana flourish in l.oo-choo and the lionins. The bud and leaves of the ornamental kiri, or I'nii- hiiiiiiii ii)ijicri(ili-t, form t!ie badge of llie .Mikado. Among the climbing and twining plants are the Hydniiiijca cordifoliii, several species of climbing magnolia, whose coils run from right to left, the Ahchia qiiinata, the Clewatis japonica, and the wistaria, which blossom in .lune. The plum blos- soms in February: the cherry in .Vpril. The tree- poony flowers about the first of May. lotuses fill the castle moats ard canals in August, and in November the chtysantbenuim is the occasion of perhaps the greatest of the .fai)anese flower festi- vals. Of the fruits the grape is the best, and those from the Province of Kai are mo.st esteemed. (See KoFU. ) The kaki. or persimmon, comes hiter in the year, and is a very luscious fruit; the oranges grown in Kiushiu are also good. The pear is woody and worthless. All attempts at introducing Englisli and other pears have invari- ably proved unsuccessful. But the apple is now cultivated with good result.s in Yezo. The straw- berry has been successfully introduced. The loquat conie.s in .-Vpril. F.UN'zV. This is not as rich as the flora, yet the eoimtry can boast of at least 150 species of manunals, 3.59 of birds. .300 of reptiles and batra- chians, a great nund)cr of kinds of fishes, of which 358 species were described by Siebold. Also over 1200 species of mollusca are mentioned in the books; and, according to the best authorities. 26 kinds of sea-urchins, and 12 sjiecies of star-fishes are found. At the head of the mammals stands the red-cheeked .saru or monkey (Iiiuus specio- sus), which lends its name as a qualifier to tho name of nuuiy a place and plant, and whose flesh is esteemed a delicacy. The saru is sometimes found as far north as the forty-first parallel of latitude, where in winter snow often lies 15 to 20 feet deep, and the tbcrniometcr 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 unknown. The carnivora include three species of bear — the common black bear (I'rsu.i japonicus). the 'red bear.' also called the great bear {Vmus ferox) . nnich reverenced liy the Ainos. and the ice-bear ( LV.sk.s »iriritimufi) . an in- voluntary visitor brought to Yezo and the Kuriles by the Arctic current. The tanuki, or badger, sometimes called the Tiamboo bear.' whose flesh is eaten, occurs evervwhere. The tiger is known only from Chinese literature and art. while the wolf of the country, known as Yama-inu. 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 tho fur-bearing animals are the martin, the fish-otter, the sea-otter, and the itachi, or weasel. Rodents are numerous and include two species of ki-nedzumi Ctree-rafs'l 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. Hares exist everywhere. Two species of deer are found. The avifa'.ma includes many species which are familiar in the Old World, showing very slight ditTcrenres in color and size, as for instance the robin, the cuckoo, the woodpecker, the ice- bird, the hoopoo, and the jay. The cuckoo, how- ever, is not very conunon. The sparrow, the house-swallow, and the thrush are the couunonest and most numerous. Eagles, falcims. 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 I'lidsidiiiis rcrsicolar, called jiamn dari. or 'mountainbinl.' by the .Japanese, and the co]iper pheasant, or I'linxiiDiuK .iirmmering. 'ild pigeons abound and <]iu>il and snijie are fairly al)undant. The wild duck and gee.se also furnish many a shot for the sportsman. The crane and the silver heron arc 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 rice-fields all summer. The mamnshi (Trifjoiioccphalus blomhofi) is the only poisonous snake of the eight species found in .Japan proper. Another, called the habu, exists in Loo-choo. The mamushi. skinned and cooked, is used as a 'nerve-strengthening' food. Four sea-snakes make their way to the southern islands in summer. Of the three species of lizard one. the ya-niori, or 'house-warden,' frequents dwellings and is an expert fly-catcher. Marine turtles, of which there are three species, are most numerous in the Bonin Islands. The kame, 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 connnon. There are several species of frogs and toads, but they differ little from those found in Europe and America. The mountain newt {Laceria japonicu), when boiled and dried, enriches the Japanese pharnia- copu'ia as a 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. Insects arc exceedingly numerous, both in spe- cies and individuals, and include many beautiful beetles, 137 species of butterflies, and over 100 species of moths. There are several large silk- moths, but only two are used in the silk industry. Except in the mountains the mosquito is very troublesome, and rivals the flea in persistency, but not in numbers. I'Ties are found everywhere, bit are most numerous in the silkworm-breeding localities. Ants are numerous and troublesome, and crickets, grasshoppers, and cicadas abound. Scorpions exist, but are said to he non-poisonous. (tkolooy -VXD -MivERAL Kksolrces. Soon after the opening of the country- the Government seems to have realized the desirability of exploiting its mineral resources, which were supposed to be eT extensive and of great value. To this end geologists and mining engineers were engaged abroad, and to them — Pumpelly, Lyman, and others — as well as to the explorations and obser- vations of later geologists and travelers — Richt- hofen, Milne, Nauraann, Rein, and Wada — the