Considerations on the change of animal life in Japan (II)

Abstract

During the Meiji Era, endemic birds and animals decreased also on the Bonin Islands. Bonin Flying Fox Pteropus pselaphon Lay decreased extremely, and as to the birds, Bonin Islands Grosbeak Chaunoproctus ferreorostris (Vigors), Kittlitz's Ground-thrush Aegithocichla terrestris (Kittlitz), Bonin Night-heron Nycticorax caledonicus crassirostris Vigors, Bonin Wood Pigeon Janthoenas versicolor (Kittlitz), etc. died out. The increase of inhabitants and the deforestation of virgin forests seems to have put pressure upon the permanent residents. however, it is noteworthy that so many birds have been the victims. Those of Megapode Megapodius also seemed to have been in existence before the Meiji Era.
In the 25th year of Meiji (in 1892) the Game Law was issued for the first time and the birds not to be hunted, that is, the protected birds were legislated. Later, instead of legislating the protected birds, those to be hunted were limited so that the birds and mammals to be protected became much increased in kinds. While planning to breed the birds to be hunted artificially, we ordered those of foreign breed from other countries when necessary, and tried to breed them. Korean Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus karpowi Buturlin were let off in Hokkaido in the end of 1930 and have spread out all over favourably since then. Chinese Bamboo Pheasant Bambusicola thoracica thoracica (Temminck) which had been originally produced in China and let off in Tokyo in 1919 became a typical naturalized family in Japan and is being named as a bird to be hunted. The Game Law was revised after the War, and they came to lay stress upon the protection of birds and animals. The bird week was established and the protective movement of the wild life is very active, as far as the movement is concerned.
With the view of utilizing them it became active year by year after the Meiji Era to remove an animal family from one place to another and naturalize them. Oncorhynchus nerka (Walbaum), Plecoglossus altivelis Temminck et Schlegel, Hypomesus olidus (Pallas), etc. are all of removed instances. Bull Frog Rana catesbeiana Shaw and Toad Bufo marinus Linné were removed from foreign countries to Japan. Although the former was introduced from the States, its frozen meat is exported to the States vise versa. The latter was introduced into Formosa from Hawaii in 1935, and did much in controlling the scarabaeid beetles harmful to sugar cane.
To import the natural enemy for exterminating injurious animals has been practised since the Meiji Era. Common Indian Mungoose Mungos mungo (Gmelin) which had been brought from India in 1910 were let off in the Okinawa Mainland of Ryukyu and Tonaki Island, and did no small service in exterminating Trimeresurus flavoviridis (Hallowell). More than 40 years have passed since then, and yet there are still a small number of their posterity there.
Many instances that unexpected transference and importation of birds and animals threw Japanese Fauna into disorder have been found, and quite many of such invaders have appeared since the Meiji Era. Into Bonin Islands, Japanese Pit Viper Ancistrodon halys blomhoffi (Boie), Spotted Scorpion Isometrus europaeus (Linné) came after the year of Shôwa began. The disagreeable Tick, Bdellonyssus bacoti (Hirst) was introduced to Japan after the great earthquake in 1923. Slug Limax flavus Linné had already come to Japan in the middle of the Meiji Era. Swamp Crayfish Cambarus clarkii Girard came into Japan in 1930 for the first time, and now they are in existence almost all over the country except Aomori pref., Iwate pref., Oita pref., Nagasaki pref., Miyazaki pref. and Kagoshima pref. not invaded. However, they are considered to spread out all over the Kyushu area some day.