Amusing Select Comparisons of Birds and Trees

(Tawamure mitate chô-moku awase, 戯見立鳥木合)

c. 1845

This series contains visual and verbal puns. It is listed as 158 in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961). The prints are each about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban. They were first published by a publisher, possibly Shinise-ya Kohei, whose seal is ツ (Tsu) under a double mountain. Some or all were reprinted by another unidentified publisher whose seal is 万久 (Mankyû). I am indebted to Robert Pryor for his contributions to this section.

	Title: Seabird and Crowd (Kaichô ni kunju, 開鳥にくん樹) Description: Woman with palanquin and crouching child Publisher: Tsu (ツ) NOTE: The foliage in the right upper corner is composed of tiny human figures:
	Title: The Shôgi Novice and the Flying Chariot Bird (Heboshôgi ni hisha tori, へぼ将木に飛車鳥) Description: Woman looking down at a shôgi board Publisher: Tsu (ツ) NOTE: The bird and tree in the inset are composed of pieces from the game of shogi, which is similar to chess.
	Title: Rokuki ni Hidori (六木に日鳥) Description: Woman with cat Publisher: Tsu (ツ)
	Another state of the above design
	Title: Engi ni mikuji (or kokuji) dori (縁木にみくじ鳥 or 縁木にこくじ鳥) Description: Woman holding a closed umbrella Publisher: Tsu (ツ)
	Another state of the above design published by Mankyû (万久)
	Title: Fan Bird in a Cooling Forest (Suzushiki ni asetori, 涼し木にあせ鳥) Description: Woman holding a fan Publisher: Tsu (ツ) NOTE: The bird in the inset is composed of folding fans.
	Another state of the above design

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