MOCKING-BIRD. SURVEYING DIFFICULTIES, iii 



the deserts of Mongolia, for on cold, stormy days 

 the lake was crammed with ducks and geese, but no 

 sooner did the weather improve than it proceeded 

 rapidly to empty, until a fresh flight took place. 



The violent and cold winds prevalent on Dalai- 

 nor луеге a great hindrance to our shooting excur- 

 sions ; however, we killed duck and geese enough to 

 provide ourselves with food, sometimes more than 

 sufficient for our wants, but we shot for the mere 

 love of sport ; for the swans, which were very shy, 

 we almost always used the rifle. 



After passing thirteen days on the shores of the 

 lake, we retraced our road to Dolon-nor, in order to 

 proceed thence to Kalgan. The hills of Guchin- 

 gurbu appeared as uninteresting as ever, but their 

 stillness was occasionally enlivened by the beautiful 

 notes of the flesh-coloured stonechat {Saxicola Isa- 

 bellina), met with throughout the whole of Central 

 Asia ; it not only utters its own notes, but borrows 

 those of other birds, imitating them very sweetly. 

 We have heard it mock the cry of the kite, chatter 

 like a magpie, scream like a curlew, sing like a lark, 

 and even try to mimic the neighing of a horse. 



Surveying in a country where there are so few 

 landmarks was most difficult. Indeed, it was always 

 very troublesome work to combine the accuracy and 

 secresy which were alike Indispensable. Had the 

 natives, particularly the Chinese, discovered that I 

 was mapping their country, our difticulties would 

 have been doubled, and луе should have found it next 

 to Impossible to pass through the populous districts. 



