32 RICE-FIELDS. FISHING. 



difference we made this time was in not crossing the 

 Kara-narin-ula, but keeping the whole way at the 

 foot of these mountains. After entering the valley 

 of the river, we passed three days at a place called 

 by the Mongols Kolo-sun-nur, where rice-fields are 

 cultivated by Chinese, who irrigate them by means 

 of artificial canals leading from the Yellow River. 

 On this flooded land we counted about 30 kinds of 

 birds, chiefly belonging to the orders Grallatores and 

 Natatores, of which we had seen none on the dry 

 steppes of Mongolia. ^ Even here these birds were 

 not numerous ; the best time for their migration had 

 passed by, and only a few lingered behind the rest. 

 Our ornithological studies this spring were so far 

 unsuccessful, and the only observation, and that of a 

 negative kind, which we were enabled to make was 

 that birds of passage shun the waterless deserts of 

 Mongolia. 



Our occupations were now varied with a little 

 fishing. The carp {Cyp74ims carpio) spawn early 

 in May, and every morning and evening large num- 

 bers might be seen disporting themselves in the 

 shallowest parts of the flooded fields. Here was an 

 opportunity not to be lost for satisfying our craving 

 for a fish diet. We first pulled off our boots, and, 



^ Anser cygnoides. Anas poecilorhyncha, Anas falcata. Anas quer- 

 quedula, Fuligula cristata, Fuligula ferina, Phalacrocorax Carbo, 

 Pelicanus crispus, (?) Podiceps sp., Sterna leucoptera, Totamis ochro- 

 pus, Tringa subminuta, Scolopax gallinago, Actitis liypoleucus, Aegi- 

 alites minor, Platalea leucorodia, Ardca alba, Liniosa melanuroides, 

 Hybsibatcs himantopus, Botaurus stcUaris, Glareola pratincola, Ha- 

 liactos Macei, Pandion sp., Motacilla citreola, Motacilla flava, Anthus 

 Richardii, Hirundo rufa. 



