Birds of North-ivest Fuhkien. 177 



The journey clown river took but five days, including half 

 a day wasted at Yangkow in changing boats. As on the 

 up-river journey, we remarked that the high, well-wooded 

 mountains are in the Yen Ping-fu district, the country from 

 Shaowufu to Yangkow being generally uninteresting. The 

 only disagreeable incident of the whole trip occuri'ed some 

 miles below Yen Ping. While waiting in a sheltered corner 

 for a threatening storm to pass, we had an unlucky dispute 

 with some passing boatmen, who finally attacked us and 

 would have boarded us if my wife had not, while we were 

 trying to get rid of our assailants, brought a gun out of the 

 cabin, which she pointed at them from above our backs. 

 This intimidated the ruffians, who let go our fore-sweep, 

 which they were trying to break, and we were able to pull 

 in the anchor and shove oft' in mid-stream. At 5 a.m. on 

 the 27th May we were back at Foochovv. 



Our best thanks are due to my chief, Sir Robert Hart, 

 Bart., G.C.M.G., who kindly granted me leave to undertake 

 this trip to N.W. Fohkien ; to our kind hosts at Foochow, 

 Count and Countess de Galembert and Mr. Rickett; to 

 Mr. Styau, Mgr. Masot, and Fathers Masip, Valencia, and 

 Verges. For the determination of many of our birds I am 

 indebted to Mr. Ogilvie Grant, Dr. Oustalet, and Pere 

 David. And, lastly, whatever success we may have had on 

 this expedition is largely due to the untiring energy and 

 zeal of our two collectors, Wang Wang and Chunkai, and to 

 the patient industry and devotion of our native servant. 



1. Merula obscura (Gm.). 



This Thrush passes Kuatuu in April, May, and November. 



2. Merula pallida (Gm.). 



Two specimens of this Thrush were sent to us from 

 Kuatun in March 1897. They had been obtained late in 

 the previous autumn or during the winter. 



3. Merula fuscata (Pall.). 



We have examples of this Thrush shot in winter at 

 Kuatuu and near Shaowufu. 



