Birds of North-west Fohkien. 171 



north branch of the River Min to Wu Yi Shan, walk from 

 there aci'oss country to Kuatun, and, after some weeks^ stay 

 in the mountains, go down to Shaowufu and return by the 

 western branch of the Min. This was the route followed by 

 our collectors on the previous three trips. The river journey 

 from Foochow to Wu Yi Shan is about 250 miles, from Wu Yi 

 Shan to Kuatun over the mountains about 40 miles, from 

 Kuatun to Shaowufu about 45 miles, and from Shaowufu 

 to Foochow 260 miles. 



We left Foochow on the 12th March, 1898, in a large 

 rapid-boat, hired and fitted out for us by Mr. Rickett, who, 

 together with Mr. F. W. Styan, had lent or otherwise pro- 

 vided us with everything we were likely to want during our 

 trip. The journey up river was uneventful ; the city of 

 Yen Ping was I'cached in four days, and Kien-ning, the next 

 large city on the way, was passed on the 18th March. The 

 scenery from Shuikow (70 miles above Foochow) to Kien- 

 ning was, as a rule, fine, the river flowing through a 

 mountainous and well-wooded country. Rapids were fre- 

 quent and often difficult and dangerous, but as our boat was 

 not deeply laden they were passed without accident. From 

 Kien-ning to W^u Yi Shan the country appeared much less 

 wooded than further south. The higher hills were often at 

 some distance from the river, while those near the stream 

 were mostly low and bare ; but fine woods were common 

 along the flat river-banks, and fringes of leaf-shedding trees 

 extended along the shores for miles at a stretch. 



Wu Yi Shan was reached on the 24th March. While waiting 

 for the carriers to come down from Kuatun, we spent three 

 days in visiting the strange and interesting Wu Yi hills. 

 Part of two afternoons was devoted to the temples, and in a 

 magnificent wood, swarming with birds, on the lower slope 

 of Wu Yi Shan, we specially noticed Nuthatches, three 

 species of Woodpeckers, Bulbuls, Cettias, " Huamei," and 

 Pigeons. 



We spent a day on the river in visiting the Wu Yi gorges, 

 and, as no boats were to be had, we hired one of the Ijamboo 



n2 



