170 Mr. P. L. Sclater on Pere David's Travels in China. 



vation of from 6000 to 9000 feet ; while Lerwa nivicola keeps to 

 the rocks, above 12,000 feet in altitude. Similar interesting 

 details are given respecting the principal discoveries in reptiles, 

 insects, and other branches of the fauna of Moupin. 



At the end of the year 1869 Pere David left Moupin, nearly 

 worn out by the fatigues and privations he had suffered, and re- 

 turned to Ching-tou, the capital of Setchuan, to recruit hinself 

 under the kind hospitality of Monsignor Pinchon,the Apostolic 

 Vicar of that district. Before returning homewards, however, 

 he determined to make a rapid excursion into the basin of the 

 Kokonoor, and, starting the day after Christmas-day, arrived, 

 after twelve days' travelling, and crossing a high range of 

 mountains, in a wooded valley in the eastern corner of this 

 watershed. After traversing the plain of Setchuan, hills of 

 small elevation were first met with : thence to arrive at Lon- 

 ganfou, on the north-west, four days' march were necessary, 

 and higher elevations were entered upon. The parts of the 

 basin of the Kokonoor visited by Pere David did not in general 

 appearance diflFer much from Monpin ; but a few novelties were 

 met with. The most remarkable of these was the Crossoptilon 

 ccerulescens, which is most probably the true Phasianus auritus 

 of Pallas. Other new species discovered here were lanthocincla 

 artemisics, Suthora consjncillata, Allotrius pallidus, and Ixos 

 X author rhmus. 



Pere David returned to Ching-tou again about the end of 

 March, and after a month's stay, in order to recruit his health 

 and to put his collections in order, descended the Yangtze to 

 Shanghai, arriving at that city on the 18th of June, in an 

 exhausted state of health, and nearly overcome by the fatigue 

 of his long and wearisome journey ings. 



The great interest of Pere David's discoveries consists not 

 only in the number of strange and startling novelties met with, 

 but likewise in the fact that he has shown the existence on 

 the Chinese slopes of the great central range of Asia of a fauna 

 corresponding to that of Ncpaul and the Indian face of the 

 Himalayas. Thus in mammals the jElurus and Budorcas of 

 the Himalayas are met with, as well as the new form, ^lu- 

 ropus. As regards the ornithology of Moupin, Mr. H. J. 



