12 WILD LIFE IN CHINA. 



water birds common in Kian^su. I once jj^ot a crested 

 varietj'but was unable to identify it, and another, without the 

 crest, some distance down the river. Then there is the 

 dabchick, ubiquitous, interesting, and very much at home. 

 Go where we will he is sure to be fouitd. Even quite small 

 creeks afford him food and shelter, and only last Christmas, 

 when we had two or three cold days and some of the creeks 

 were frozen, I found him in a creek close to the steps out- 

 side a village street and, taking care not to alarm him, 

 watched his proceedings for some minutes. Then on seeing 

 me, up went his tail, down went his head, and so far as one 

 could discover he might have dived down to the antipodes, 

 though there is no doubt he was well within reach watching, 

 from under a bit of cover close to the bank, the "foreign 

 devil" who dresses so outrageously and outlandishly as to 

 frighten innocent little grebes. Having given up long distance 

 flying apparentl}', the dabchick seems never to migrate. All 

 seasons find him in his accustomed haunts equally happy, 

 and equally at home. 



f-e^f^G 



