THE IBIS 



SEVENTH SERIES. 



No. XXIV. OCTOBER 1900. 



XXXVII.— 0« the Birds collected by Capt. A. W. S. 1Vin(jate 

 in South China. By W. R. Ogilvie Grant. 



(Plate XII.) 



Towards the end of September 1898, Capt. A. W. S. Wingate 

 started fi'om Shangliai on his adventurous journey through 

 Southern China to Bharao, a distance of 2360 miles by the 

 route followed. On arriving at Hankau, on the Yang-tse- 

 Kiang, he chartered a boat and engaged a couple o£ Chinese 

 servants, one of these being a taxidermist named Wang, 

 with whose assistance Capt. Wingate made an interesting 

 and valuable collection of zoological specimens, which he 

 has most generously presented to the British Museum. 

 Over 150 specimens of birds were obtained, and form the 

 subject of the present paper. 



Capt. Wingate says"^: "The collection of these afforded 

 considerable amusement to the Celestials, who thought that 

 I wanted the birds and fish to eat, the insects and snakes 

 for medicines, and the shells as charms The Chinese are 

 very fond of birds, and in Pekin every other man carries 

 one about the streets. Tliey train them to fly high in the 

 air and return to their master's cage. They have 'gym- 

 khanas' for their birds, and the one that flies highest wins 

 the bets. They don't like people killing small birds."' 



* 'Thiugs Chinese,' a lecture read .jrd October, 1899, before the 

 United Service InJ^titiition of India. 



SER. VII. VOL. VI. 2k 



