Translator’s Introduction, Sect. IV.
xxxiii
Reptiles.
- Crocodile, (wani 鰐).[1]
- Tortoise (kame 龜).
- Toad or Frog, (taniguku, written phonetically).
- Serpent, (worochi 蛇).
- Snake [smaller than the preceding], (hemi 蛇).
Insects.
- Centipede, (mukade 蜈蚣).
- Dragon-fly, (akidzu 蜻蛉).
- Fly, (hahi 蠅).
- Louse, (shirami 虱).
- Silk-worm, (kahiko 蠶).
- Wasp or Bee, (hachi 蜂).
Fishes, etc.
- Pagrus cardinalis [probably], (aka-daki 赤鯛) [or perhaps the Pagrus cardinalis (tai 鯛) is intended].
- Perch [Percalabrax japonicus] (sudzuki 鱸).
- Bèche-de-mer [genus Pentacta] (ko 海鼠).
- Medusa, (kurage, written phonetically).
Shells.
- Arca Suberenata [?] (hirabu-kahi, written phonetically).
- Cockle [Arca Inflata] (kisa-gahi 螯貝).
- Turbinidæ [a shell of the family] (shita-dami 細螺).
Plants.
- Ampelopsis serianæfolia [?] (kagami 羅摩).
- Aphananthe aspera, (muku, written phonetically).
- Aucuba japonica [probably], (aha-gi, written phonetically).
- Bamboo, (take 竹).
- Bamboo-grass [Bambusa chino], (sasa 小竹).
- Barley [or wheat?], (mugi 麥).
- Beans [two kinds, viz., Soja glycine and Phaseolus radiatus (the general name is mame 豆, that of the latter species in particular adzuki, 小豆).
- Bulrush [Typha japonica] (kama 蒲黃).
- Bush-clover [Lespedeza of various species], (hagi 萩).
- Camellia japonica (tsuba-ki 椿).
- Cassia [Chinese mythical; or perhaps the native Cercidiphyllum japonica], (katsura, variously written).
- Chamæcyparis obtsusa, (hi-no-ki 檜).
- Cleyera japonica [and another allied but undetermined species], (saka-ki 榊).
- Clubmoss, (hi-kage 日景).
- ↑ Mr. Satow, in his translation of a passage of the “Records of Ancient Matters” forming part of a note to his third paper on the “Rituals” in Vol. IX, Pt. II of these “Transactions”, renders wani by “shark.” There is perhaps some want of clearness in the old historical books in the details concerning the creature in question, and its fin is mentioned in the “Chronicles.” But the accounts point rather to an amphibious creature, conceived of as being somewhat similar to the serpent, than to a fish, and the Chinese descriptions quoted by the Japanese commentators unmistakably refer to the crocodile. The translator therefore sees no sufficient reason for abandoning the usually accepted interpretation of wani (鰐) as “crocodile.” It should be noticed that the wani is never introduced into any but patently fabulous stories, and that the example of other nations, and indeed of Japan itself, shows that myth-makers have no objection to embellish their tales by the mention of wonders supposed to exist in foreign lands.
