In a continuation from the first volume, subgenus Trachycolea and Australes belonging to the genus Frullania (Fam. Frullaniaceae) are studied. In this paper, 27 species of subgenus Trachycolea and one species of Australes are recognized. F. kagoshimensis var. minor and F. osumiensis var. dentata are reduced to the synonym of F. osumiensis. F. yusawai and F. hamatiloba var. latistipula are reduced to the synonym of F. hamatiloba. F. caduca and F. hinoi are respectively reduced to the synonyms of F. amamiensis and F. kagoshimensis. F. acutiloba is excluded from the hepatic flora of Japan. Illustrations and brief descriptions of these species are given.

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A total of 43 Parachauliodes larvae were collected in the northern part of Okinawa-honto Island, southern Japan, and reared in the laboratory. Among them, 21 adults of P. japonicus (MCLACHLAN, 1867) and one adult of P. yanbaru ASAHINA, 1987, were obtained by the rearing, and the larva of the latter was associated with the adult for the first time. The larva of P. yanbaru could be distinguished from that of P. japonicus easily by its more reddish head and elongated prothorax.

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Stomatopod crustacean fossil Shako tomidai KARASAWA, 1996 is first reported from the early Middle Miocene Toyoda Formation, Masuda Group in Shimane Prefecture, southwestern Japan. The species extends the known geographic range to the southwestern Japan, and the stratigraphic range to the Early to early Middle Miocene.

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Regulating reservoirs are artificial ponds used for preventing floods by gathering water which does not percolate through the soil in residential areas. Recently, as people's interests in natural environments have increased, regulating reservoirs have been increasingly used as places where people can commune with nature.
Investigations conducted in Chiba and Kawaguchi cities showed that most of the reservoirs were located on the foot of tablelands or the bottom of yatu valleys, where rich wildlife was supported. Most reservoirs did not contain water constantly, and thus many regulating reservoirs were used as sports grounds, parks, and other open spaces. Three types of reservoirs were recognized: natural type, which has dirt sides and bottoms; semi-box type, which has concrete sides and dirt bottoms; and box type, which has concrete sides and bottoms. Half of the reservoirs was box type. Natural type reservoirs had the highest coverages of vegetation and water, and those of the box type had the lowest. The results suggested that many regulating reservoirs may be required to restore natural habitats which are valuable not only for wildlife conservation but for human recreation in urban cities.

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Around the mountain stream of Suishou-Valley, Oku-Chichibu, there is an exceptional distribution of a mixed forest of Pterocarya rhoifolia and Chamaecyparis pisifera. This report aims to clarify the reason for this phenomenon in the area, especially with a focus on topographical stability, and to give a consideration to the process of future succession. In the past, P. rhoifolia dominated stands probably existed after a vast disturbance in Suishou-Valley. However, the mixed forest with a few conifers has been currently established. It suggests that the P. rhoifolia dominated forest has been shifted to a C. pisijera dominated forest because of the long term, sustaining stability of site condition.

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Geographic distribution of ten Neckera species in Japan is examined in relation to calcareous sites based on approximately 1300 herbarium specimens. N. yezoana is distributed throughout Japan except for Ryukyu. N. borealis is confined to the northern half of Japan. The remaining eight species are mainly found in the southern half of Japan. Altitudinally, N. borealis, N. polyclada, and N. konoi are found in the subarctic and cool-temperate zones; N. yezoana, N. goughiana, N. humilis, and N. flexiramea in the warm- and cool-temperate zones; and N. pusilla, N. fauriei, and N. nakazimae in the warm-temperate zone. The relationship between geographic distribution and calcareous sites is as follows: (l) N. polyclada and N. goughiana are exclusively found in calcareous sites; (2) N. konoi, N. pusilla, and N. fauriei are preferably found in calcareous sites; and (3) N. yezoana, N. humilis, and N. nakazimae showed no special relationship with calcareous sites. N. borealis and N. flexiramea showed preference to calcareous sites in central Honshu.

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In this paper, a continuation of seven previous papers, 35 taxa belonging to the genera Cymbella, Encyonema, Gomphoneis, Gomphonema, Gomphosphenia and Reimeria are reported with light and scanning electron microscope photographs. Some comments are made mostly on the taxonomy and morphology of each taxon.

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The author investigated the food habits of Japanese racoon dogs by examining their excrements at Ina, Saitama Prefecture, central Japan from December 1998 to November 1999. The staple and main foods were leftovers, fowls, American crayfish, centipedes, and earthworms. Few main foods such as fowls and Ameican crayfish have been reported. A macrofungus Daedaleopsis tricolor that belongs to Basidiomycetes also appeared in the excrements. This is the first report on the appearance of fungi in excrements of Japanese racoon dogs.

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Conservation of the Kazeno-matsubara Coastal Forest in Noshiro City, northern Japan was discussed based on vegetational and floristic investigations conducted in 2000 and 2001. This coastal forest is composed of planted Pinus thunbergii and divided into two parts. One is composed of old pines nearly 150 years old and the other are young pines nearly 30-70 years old. Some pines have recently been attacked and killed by Bursaphelencus xylophilus. The vegetational investigation showed that old pines were going to decline due to deciduous broad-leaved trees which had invaded into the pine forest through the succession process in the past 50 years. In the floristic investigation, 93 families and 371 species of vascular plants were recorded. It seems that the use of pesticide to kill harmful nematodes and the removal of the deciduous trees should be done to protect the pine forest. Certain plant species such as wild orchids and coastal plants and the area where these species are distributed should be protected for nature conservation.

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An investigation of the moss flora was conducted around Mt. Kashimayari and Mt. Jiigatake, the Japan North Alps, Nagano, Japan.

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An investigation of the moss flora was conducted at Mt. Ohyama, central Kanagawa, Japan. Among approximately 1600 specimens collected from 1997 to 2001, 146 species, 2 subspecies, and 4 varieties were recognized in 89 genera of 37 families. Phytogeographical interests reside in Tortula norvegica, Plagiomnium tezukae, and Cyathophorella hookeriana.

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The present study reports on the lichen flora of Mt. Miune (1893 m), Shikoku, Japan, in which the authors recognized l85 species in 65 genera of 30 families. Eleven new species are reported for Shikoku.

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A checklist of Hepaticae and Anthocerotae in Iwate-ken was edited on the basis of literature. Consequently, a total of 150 species, 6 subspecies, 3 varieties of Hepaticae belonging to 63 genera and 27 families, and one species of Anthocerotae belonging to one genus and one family were listed.

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A photographic report is presented on the morphologic and behavioral characteristics of the collared scops owl (Otus bakkamoena).

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