only vole hitherto recorded in North Shensi. It differs from the 

 other voles already mentioned in being smaller and of a rich reddish brown 

 colour. It is trapped usually amongst the dead leaves, or on mossy banks at 

 the bottom of loess ravines in well vegetated country. Some more wood-mice 

 and David's squirrels were also secured here, besides a fine specimen of the 

 hare. David's squirrel {Sciurotamias dauidianus) , (Plate 49), is a rock-inhabiting 

 species. It is about the size of the common European red squirrel. Its fur is 

 of a dull earth-brown colour above and creamy beneath. The ears are not 

 tufted, though the tail is very bushy. Like the chipmunk it possesses cheek 

 pouches. It also resembles the chipmunk in its habits and mode of life, 

 except that it does not hibernate. This squirrel enjoys a very wide range 

 being recorded from the mountains near Peking, from various places in 

 Shansi, Shensi and Kansu and also from Ssuch'uan. 



Birds were more plentiful in this district. Some specimens of the 

 beautiful blue magpie {Urocissa sinensis) were secured and Azure -winged 

 magpies {Cyanopolius cyanus) were also plentiful, springing my traps and 

 making themselves generally disagreeable. A pretty timeline {Pomatorhinus 

 gravivox) was also very common. The country was teeming with pheasants 

 and I saw the tracks of wild pigs, wolves and leopards. 



This country had not been under cultivation since the great famine of 

 1877-79 when parts of North China were terribly depopulated. As a result in 

 this and many other localities the mountains, hills and valleys have become 

 scrub-covered and even well wooded. Good cover for game and wild animals 

 of all kinds is thus afforded. It is possible that many species owe their 

 existence in North China to-day to these periodical famines, which check the 

 ever increasing human population. Where conditions are favourable to 

 cultivation in North China, it is extremely difficult for the naturalist to find 

 suitable collecting grounds. Every foot of land is utilised. It is only in such 

 spots as these whence man has been driven out, and which have lain fallow 

 for a generation or so, or in places like the Chiao-ch'6ng Shan, precipitous, 

 rocky and cold, that one finds animals at all plentiful. 



After a week's stay in this country I returned to Yen-an Fu. Here I 

 secured a nice specimen of the spotted wild-cat {Felis chinensis) and another 

 of the large marten {Martes flavigula borealis). Both of these animals were 

 said to be fairly common in the district though very hard to secure. 



Nothing in the way of reptiles, batrachians or fishes was secured, but a 

 new and interesting flea was taken from one of the roedeer. The female of 

 this flea was found in large numbers in the nostrils of the deer. The insects were 



88 



