190 A NATURALIST IN WESTERN CHINA 



a species, pale buff in colour, with the centre of the back and 

 upper part of the tail black, occurs. This has been named 

 Nyctereutes stegmanni. 



Badgers are not uncommon, and at Ichang Otters are 

 used for catching Fish. 



It is not easy to draw the line between game and verminous 

 animals, but several of the above obviously belong to the 

 latter class. 



Above the tree-limit in open grassland areas the Himalayan 

 Marmot, or " Hsueh Chu-tsze " (Snow-pig) {Marmota hima- 

 layanus), is abundant, especially around Sungpan and west 

 of Tachienlu between 10,000 and 15,000 feet altitude. This 

 animal lives in colonies and has a habit of standing on its hind 

 legs at the mouth of its burrow and uttering a shrill noise, 

 half squeal, half whistle. It can be easily shot, but is with 

 difficulty retrieved, for imless killed outright it disappears 

 into the inner recesses of its warren. The male animal is 

 ochre-grey in colour ; the female nearly cream-buff. Adults 

 measure about 28 to 30 inches in length, including the tail, 

 which latter measures about 5^ inches. The fiu- is coarse 

 and thick, and the skins are an article of commerce in Sungpan, 

 Monkong, and Tachienlu, from whence they are exported to 

 various parts of Western China. These skins, known as Ma-sha 

 p'i, are valued at about 45 tael cents each. 



Many kinds of fur-bearing animals of small size occur in 

 central and Western China. These include the Mouse-hare 

 {Ochotona), Bamboo-rat [Rhizomys), Martin (Maries), Flying 

 Squirrel {Pteromys), and many species of Squirrel proper. Of 

 these latter I do not remember seeing one frequenting a tree 

 in central China. All of them were rock-loving squirrels. 

 The Bamboo-rat {Rhizomys vestitus) is an interesting animal, 

 about 16 to 18 inches long, grey with a white streak down 

 the chest, and has sharp vicious front teeth and powerful 

 jaws. It is common in the jungles up to 8000 feet altitude 

 from Sungpan southwards to Wa shan. 



Travellers through the Ichang gorges are commonly regaled 

 with stories of Monkeys roaming in troupes over the cUffs 

 and occasionally throwing stones at passing boats. The stone- 

 throwing proclivities of these animals were once solemnly 



