POPULATION OF ALA-SHAN. 237 



These are nearly all the birds of the desert of 

 Ala-shan. Migratory birds fly at a great height 

 without stopping. At all events we only saw 

 towards evening flocks of cranes sitting on the sand 

 to pass the night in order to resume their flight early 

 the next morning. Even magpies and crows are 

 not seen in the plains of Ala-shan ; and it is but now 

 and then that a solitary kite sails along over the tent 

 of the traveller, in the expectation of devouring the 

 remnants of his meal. 



Of the class of reptiles, lizards {Phrynocephakis 

 sp., in smaller numbers Bremzas sp.) are innumerable. 

 These lizards are almost the exclusive food of the 

 cranes, buzzards, and kites ; even gulls fly hither 

 from the Hoang-ho to seek this prey ; wolves, foxes, 

 and Mongol dogs also feed on these reptiles for want 

 of something better to eat. 



The population of Ala-shan is composed of Oliut 

 (Eleuth) Mongols, to Avhich race some of the inhabi- 

 tants of Koko-nor, the Turguts,^ and our Kalmucks 

 belong. The Mongols of Ala-shan are very differ- 

 ent in external appearance from the Khalkas, and 

 appear to be a mixed race between the latter and 

 the Chinese. Under the influence of the Celestials 

 they have undergone a considerable change in charac- 

 ter, and are not even surpassed by their neighbours 

 in opium-smoking. Chinese industry, hoAvever, is 

 unknown here, and Mongol laziness is preserved in 

 all its original ugliness. Such is the influence 

 everywhere exercised by the Chinese over the 



^ Vide supra, p. 231. 



