10 ARKIV FÖR ZOOLOGI. BAND 5. N:0 9. 



leaving the solid rocks and stones. Splendid looking fields 

 covered with flowers of orchids, lilies, daffodils, bellflowers 

 etc. extend in certain valleys of the Chara river district in 

 east and west, although their area is not very large. The 

 steppe and desert begins sooner in the eastern than in the wes- 

 tern parts of Northern Mongolia. Already at 115° long. 

 E and 48° lat. N the northern parts of the Gobi desert extends, 

 while to the south and east from Urga the Gun-Gulutai 

 and Gultu-Guntu steppe, still further south the with high 

 steppe grass covered Butyn lowland is to be found, and to 

 the northwest and north from Urga the Tola-, Orchon-, 

 Chara- and Iro-steppes. All these are surrounded by or 

 traversed by mountains. One must therefore not think that 

 one has to do with a flat country or plains when it is spöken 

 about these steppes or deserts. The country already men- 

 tioned has an average altitude of from 720 to 2200 m. The 

 lowermost places are situated in the district of the river Se- 

 lenga and its tributaries. In all directions from there the 

 altitude increases and in the east it rises in the Kentei-moun- 

 tains to 2200 m., in the south near Urga to 1700 m., in the 

 west to 1600 m., and in the north at the middle and lower 

 course of Selenga from 600 to 1800 m. (the latter altitude 

 on the mountains bordering the river). 



The temperature is very variable. The greatest obser- 

 ved heat was 58° C. while the temperature in the night fell 

 to 3 — 5° C. Now and then a pouring rain, or snow with 

 frightful storm broke in upon us.» 



Corvus corone orientalis Eversmann. 



Kiran (f {n:o 22), 6 (n:o 23), ^'/ö 1908. 



Both specimens are of large size the length of wing in 

 the male being 353 and that of the female 341 mm. 

 »In small flocks.» (Bamberg) 



Coloeus dauuricus (Pallas). 



Ibizik d" (n:o 57), ? (n:o 45) 1-/5 1908. 



Bura d" (n:o 46) ^s 1908. 



Kiret (/ (n:o 47) ^V^ 1908. 



Length of ^\dng in the males resp. 230, 238 and 229 mm., 

 the same measurement of the female 246 mm. The latter 

 is thus exceptionally large. 



»In small flocks up to ten in number.» (Bamberg) 



