CHAPTER XI. 
BIRDS OF NORTH CHINA—BY A. DE C. SOWERBY. 
THE provinces of Shansi, Shensi, and Kansu through which the expedition 
passed are comparatively rich in feathered inhabitants, though there 
seems to be little, if any, likelihood of new discoveries being made in this line. 
Birds being easily collected owing to their diurnal habits and conspicuousness, 
are naturally the first to be studied by naturalists in a new country. For 
these reasons, it was decided that I should devote my energies more especially 
to mammals. 
As, however, there are many interesting features attached to the study of 
birds in a new country, especially during the migratory seasons, a chapter 
dealing with those noticed on the expeditions may not be out of place in this 
volume. 
Space will not permit of a very detailed treatment of the subject, and I 
shall do little more than give the names of the birds, mention their haunts and 
breeding-places, and describe the general appearance of the more remarkable 
species. 
In North China, as in all other north temperate regions, birds belonging 
to the great order of Passeres (perching birds) predominate. Crows, larks, 
finches, wagtails, flycatchers, or thrushes are met at every turn. Let us take 
the family Corvide (crows) as a starting point. During some years of travel 
in the six northern provinces of China, I have noted some twelve species 
belonging to this family. The raven (Corvus corax), carrion crow (Corvus corone), 
white necked crow (Corvus torquatus), black crow (Corvus sinensis), Chinese 
jackdaw (Coloeus dauuricus), rook (Frugilegus pastinator), and chough (Graculus 
graculus), are common everywhere. Closely related to the black and white 
Chinese jackdaw (Coloeus dauuricus), is an entirely black variety (Coloeus neglectus) 
which is somewhat rare in the north. It may sometimes be seen in company 
with the former. 
In some provinces, the raven acts as scavenger in towns and villages, but 
usually it prefers the high mountainous districts or remote desert regions. 
Amongst the Chinese who live on the borders of the Ordos Desert and out in 
north-western Kansu, this evil-looking bird goes by the name of ‘‘The Mongol’s 
Coffin.” That it deserves this name may be gathered from the fact that the 
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