sparrow hawk (Accipifer m'sus), all comparatively common, are trapped by the 

 natives of the country and trained to the ancient and noble sport of falconry. 

 The kestrel {Cerchneis timunculus), and the red-footed falcon {Erythropus vespertinus) 

 are abundant on every plain, whilst the fierce but somewhat clumsy buzzard 

 (Buteo hemilasius) takes heavy toll of the hares, partridges, and ground squirrels 

 of the broad valleys. 



Over the marshes the elegantly shaped hen harrier {Circus cyaneus) glides 

 in its search for small aquatic fauna of all kinds, whilst occasionally the 

 osprey [Pandion haliaetus), king of fishing hawks, visits the larger ponds and 

 lakes. Here he may be seen circling high in the air, till some large fish coming 

 to the surface, catches the marauder's eye. Down he comes like a bolt from 

 the blue, cleaves the surface of the placid waters, scattering wide the 

 shimmering spray, and, burying his talons deep into the quivering flesh of his 

 prey, carries it off to the nearest pinnacle of rock or lofty tree. 



Owls are represented by the five following species. The great eagle-owl 

 {Bubo maximus), the long-eared owl {Otus vulgaris), the short-eared owl {Otus 

 brachyotus), the little owl {Athene plumipes), and the scops owl {Scops stictomt us). 

 The last mentioned is somewhat rare and is found usually round old temples. 

 The little owl may frequently be seen in the loess gullies and ravines of the 

 foothills, or out on the plains, where some lofty hollow tree affords adequate 

 shelter. 



The long-eared and short-eared owls are inhabitants of the plains, while 

 the great eagle-owl frequents the highest and wildest mountains. 



Following the owls, I might mention the night-jar {Caprimulgus jotaka), a 

 bird that is not often seen, but which inhabits the bush-covered slopes of the 

 lower mountain ranges. At dusk on warm summer evenings it flits on 

 noiseless wings over the hazel scrub and waving oatfields, chasing the large 

 pink-winged grasshopper, which always seems more active and noisy at this 

 time of the day. 



The nearest relative to the night-jar in North China is the white tumped 

 swift (Cypselus pacificus) which appears rather late in the spring, rears it young 

 in the hollow eaves of temples and gate-towers, and is away again long before 

 the cold sets in. 



We may now take a rapid survey of the game birds of the country, and 

 ornithologists must forgive me if I place pheasants, bustards, ducks, pigeons 

 and snipe in one large category. 



Belonging to the phasianidae are some half dozen species, any of 

 which may give the traveller welcome relief from the monotony of the long 



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