SPORT IN WESTERN CHINA 135 



question the statement) that the natives deHberately place 

 themselves in dangerous places for the purpose of obtaining 

 money if stung by pellets. Further, they are said not to be 

 above malingering in this matter if there is a possible chance 

 of money being forthcoming. In the west they are less 

 sophisticated, and I never heard of such a thing happening. 



The little Bustard Quail {Turnix hlandfordi) is also fairly 

 common around Ichang. It is easily recognized by the absence 

 of the hind-toe, its rather long slender bill, and bright rufous- 

 yellow chest. It measures 6 to 7 inches tip to tip, being about 

 the same size as the Common Quail, and its haunts and habits 

 are similar. 



Grilled with a rasher of bacon and served on toast, Quail 

 forms a tit-bit, worthy of any table. They are not so easily 

 spoilt in the cooking as Snipe and Woodcock. 



Quail are pugnacious birds, and are frequently kept as 

 pets by Chinese on this account. Quail-fighting is a pastime 

 much enjoyed in certain parts of China. 



DOVES AND PIGEONS 



It remains now only to say a brief word about the various 

 Doves and Pigeons of this region. Up to about 4000 feet 

 altitude in the Bamboo clumps and trees surrounding villages 

 and homesteads the Common Turtle Dove {Turtur chinensis) 

 is everywhere abundant. This pretty bird is inferior eating, 

 and unless one is hard up for meat there is no excuse for 

 shooting it. In the thin woodlands, and ranging up to about 

 6000 feet or even higher in well-cultivated regions, the Greater 

 Turtle Dove {T. orientalis) occurs, but is much less plentiful 

 than the Common Turtle Dove. This is a very good table 

 bird, perhaps the best of its family. The Pallid Turtle Dove 

 {T. decaocta) is also found scattered through north-western 

 Hupeh and eastern Szechuan, but is nowhere common. Around 

 Ichang and westwards into eastern Szechuan the small Turtle 

 Dove {T. humilis) ^ occurs as a late spring visitant, and breeds 



^ Ornithologists now put the Doves in several different genera, and the 

 species referred to above are spoken of respectively as Spilopelia chinensis, 

 Turtur orientalis, Streptopelia decaocta, Onopopelia humilis. 



