between Takoo and Peking, North China. 335 



the foolish bird only flew a little distance and settled again, 

 looking at me while I reloaded. I then shot it, and imagine 

 my delight when I picked up what appeared to me to be a new 

 species of Lark-Bunting. It was a female. I beat the ground 

 over and over again, refusing several shots at hares that started 

 from almost under my feet, knowing that the birds of this genus 

 are seldom found alone, but could flush no other. I was obliged 

 to give up the chase, and returned to my tent, only just in time to 

 pack up and march. When arrived at Tientsin I found thousands 

 of this bird on sale, plucked and trussed like larks. I begged 

 the market-men to bring some with feathers on, and one morning, 

 to my surprise, found a basketful of very fair specimens. I at 

 once bought two dozen, and set to work skinning them. They 

 measured on an average 6^ in., wing 3^, tail 2^^. The 

 natives called them Teay-cheo (Iron Bird), and explained to me 

 that they were caught by the hand in springes baited with the 

 small maggots found in decaying millet-stalks. My specimens 

 correspond very nearly with the description of the Lapland Lark- 

 Bunting found in Europe in ' M'Gillivray's British Birds,^ though 

 I should think it could hardly be the same species, as its exist- 

 ence is not noted, to my knowledge, in Siberia*. 



61. Red -Poll. Cannabina linaria (Linn.). 

 Seen in cages. 



62. Mealy Red-Poll. Cannabina canescens (Gould). 

 Apairwere found in a cage at Pehtang, where the troops landed. 



63. Siskin. Fringilla spinus, L. 



This species was frequently seen in cages. I have received it 

 before from Foochow, in Fuh-keeu Province. 



64. Chinese Greenfinch. Fringilla sinica, L. 

 Common both wild and in cages. 



65. Mountain Sparrow. Fringilla montana, L. 

 Common. Takes the place of the domestic Sparrow. 



66. Mountain Finch. Fringilla montifringilla, L, 



Often offered for sale at Peking. I send a female procured there. 



* It is included in v. Schrenck's work on the Birds of Amoorland (vol. i. 

 p. 2/6).— Ed. 



