In colour it is greyer than the three-toed jerboa, and it is a larger animal. 
The “ allactaga” is not so essentially a sand-inhabiting animal as the jerboa. 
The present species differs from Allactaga mongolica in having appreciably longer 
ears, longer feet, and a slightly different skull. 
After leaving this locality, bats were seen for the first time on the expedi- 
tions, and between here and Yen-an Fu in Shensi several specimens of a 
large brown bat (Eptesicus serotinus pallens) and a single specimen of a very small 
bat (Pipistrellus sp.) were shot. The large bat has been described by Mr. Miller 
as a new subspecies. 
From Ching-ning Chou eastward the country was much more favourable 
for collecting. There were plenty of vegetation and water so that we were 
able to do good work considering the rate at which we were travelling. Grant 
and I devoted our attention to entomology as we travelled, and made large 
collections of butterflies and dragon-flies. Frogs were also secured from the 
streams, besides some more fresh-water crabs and some snakes. Two varieties 
of kingfisher were shot. One was a large handsome bird named Halycon 
pileatus and the other a small brilliant little fellow named Alcedo ispida. This 
species resembles the British form but is smaller. 
We saw more roedeer; and specimens, in their red summer pelts, were 
obtained. 
Two day’s journey south of Yen-an Fu a mud turtle (7rionyx sinensis), 
(Plate 54), was shot. As we travelled along beside the river we saw great 
numbers of these ugly creatures basking in the sun on the mud flats. On our 
approach they made for the water and were lost to view before we were in 
shot-gun range. Looking at them through a powerful pair of field-glasses, 
we could see every head pointed in our direction. 
On August the 21st we reached the spot, south of Yen-an Fu, where I had 
collected the previous winter. Here some more roedeer were obtained and I 
was fortunate enough to put up and shoot a large wild boar (Sus moupinensis). 
(Plate 53). Rising early in the morning I made my way up a long loess ridge 
where I had seen pig-rootings the previous evenings. I was accompanied by 
a native and we tramped a long way without seeing anything. Just as I was 
about to return to camp, there was a hoarse roar in some dense scrub on the 
left, and a huge pig broke cover and scampered off tossing his head in a 
vindictive manner. I caught a glimpse of his wicked little eye glaring at us as 
he tore his way through the dense scrub. I tried to draw a bead on him, but 
his course was too erratic and the abrupt way in which he had appeared upon 
the scene had somewhat disconcerted me. Presently however he stopped to 
93 
