Relocation and Restoration of Collection Data, for Two Taxonomically Important Japanese Reed Bunting Emberiza yessoensis Specimens Collected by Thomas Blakiston in the Early Meiji Period

Abstract

. We provide information on two early specimens of the Japanese Reed Bunting Emberiza yessoensis collected by Thomas Blakiston in Hokkaido in early Meiji times. One of these specimens was regarded as lost, but we rediscovered it. The other had become separated from its year and locality of collection. We have reunited the data with this specimen by analyzing Blakiston ʼ s notebook and specimen catalogue. We have also shown that one specimen, a potential type, was collected in Hakodate. These rediscoveries are of importance in determining the taxonomy of the Japanese Reed Bunting, for proving that these early specimens were truly the Japanese Reed Bunting, and for demonstrating its historical and current distribution and relationship to climate and weather.