L. Forró szerk.: Miscellanea Zoologica Hungarica 7. 1992 (Budapest, 1992)

Báldi, A.; Waliczky, Z.: Zoological collectings by the Hungarian Natural History Museum in Korea. 108. A report on the collecting of the fifteenth expedition

Zoological collectings by the Hungarian Natural History Museum in Korea. 108. A report on the collecting of the fifteenth expedition by A. Báldi and Z. Waliczky (Received November 6, 1991) Abstract: A brief report is presented on the 15th Zoological Expedition of the Hungarian Natural History Museum to Korea. The main goal was an avifaunistical investigation, but invertebrate-collectings were also carried out. The list of localities and list of the observed 103 bird species is also given. Keywords: Korea, Zoological Expedition, bird observation, collectings of invertebrates. The 15th expedition of the Hungarian Natural History Museum to Korea was different from the previous ones. The main objective of the earlier trips from the Zoological Department of the Museum was to collect animals, mainly arthropods (e. g. Merkl & Szél 1989), and vertebrates (Csorba & Demeter 1989). The main goal of our expedition was an avifaunistical investigation in different regions of Korea. Nevertheless, we collected Coleoptera and Lepidoptera specimens as well, and took soil and water samples. We spent 30 days in Korea, from 29th July, to 27th August, 1991. We spent 24 days in the field, including half-day long trips in the surroundings of Pyongyang. We visited Kumgang-san (SE), Myohyang-san (central part), Nampo (W), Chongjin (NE) and Kaesong (SW), besides different places near Pyongyang (Ryongaksan, Taesong-san, Taeson lake). Our original plan included a visit to Paekdu-san (N), but owing to a political demonstration in the area the trip was cancelled. We arrived to North Korea in the monsoon period in August, when the weather is hot (30-35 C), it rains frequently, and the relative humidity is very high. The recorded total bird density and number of bird species was unexpectedly low due to the bad weather conditions. We observed altogether 103 bird species, most of them are breeding species in Korea. Migrants from Siberia (e. g. Muscicapa spp., Emberim spp.) were seen only during the last few days. Some of the collected insects may be new for Korea, as only a few expeditions visited the country during the monsoon period. Although our expedition was totally different from the previous ones, we continue the reports on the expeditions by the Hungarian Natural History Museum in Korea, and the numbering of the collectings. Acknowledgements Our expedition was made within the framework of an agreement between the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Korean Academy of Sciences.