THEIR TREES AND BIRDS. 259 



lite, gneiss, micaceous sandstone, and, the later vol- 

 canic formations ; on the summit of Mount Bugutui 

 the rocks are partly of quartzose conglomerate. 

 Excellent coal-beds have been opened in the Ala- 

 shan range. ^ 



The borders of the mountains of Ala-shan near- 

 est to the plains are only covered with grass and 

 small rare underwood, but at a height of about 7,500 

 feet on the western slopes there are forests consist- 

 ing of spruce interspersed with poplar and willow. 

 On the eastern side the forests probably begin lower 

 down, but the prevailing trees even here are small 

 poplars, Avith a sprinkling of white birch, pine, and 

 arborescent juniper. The thick underwood of these 

 forests is chiefly composed of spiraea and hazel, and 

 in the upper zone of prickly Ca7^agana jtibata, called 

 by the Mongols ' camel's tail ; ' the highest parts of 

 the mountains are covered with alpine pastures.^ 



Formerly a good number of Mongols lived in 

 these mountains, and three temples were erected 

 there, but these have been destroyed by the Dungans. 



The ornithological fauna of the Ala-shan range, 

 contrary to our expectations, was very poor, chiefly 

 owing, in my opinion, to the want of water. On the 

 occasion of our first visit the season was the middle 

 of autumn, and a large number of birds had flown 

 south, but in the summer of 1873 we found a similar 

 scarcity of birds here. 



^ Before the Dungan ravages the coal was worked in small 

 quantities by the Chinese. 



^ A more detailed description of the flora of the Ala-shan 

 mountains will be given in Volume II. Chapter VIII. 



S 2 



