BIRDS OP ALA-^HAN. 35 



Still less can be said of animal life in these 

 regions. The flooded fields in the valley of the 

 river were the resort of water-fowl, and in the tall 

 tufts of dirisun could be heard the call of many a 

 pheasant ; small birds were also now and then seen, 

 but on entering Ala-shan all was changed, and 

 scarcely a note broke the stillness of the desert. 



The same death-like silence reigned in the moun- 

 tains bordering the left valley of the Hoang-ho. 

 When I passed the night near the summit of Mount 

 Koir-Bogdo, while on a hunting excursion, the even- 

 ing and early morning were as still and voiceless 

 as in winter ; the only sounds were the noise of 

 the buzzard, and the hideous cry of a kite or vulture. 



The climate of these reofions harmonizes with 

 their whole nature. After sultry heat in the begin- 

 ning of May, it suddenly froze on the 1 7th of that 

 month, the thermometer marking 2° Cent. (29° 

 Fahr.) at sunrise ; to this succeeded hot weather, 

 followed by a short interval of moderate tempera- 

 ture, after which the heat again became intense, the 

 thermometer in the middle of June registering 40° 

 Cent. (104° Fahr.) in the shade. 



In April and May violent winds sometimes 

 occurred, but less frequently than at the same season 

 in the previous year. While these lasted, the air 

 was so thick with dust as almost to prevent respira- 

 tion ; the sun was darkened and everything covered 

 with a thick layer of dust, which entered eyes, nose, 

 and mouth. The direction of the wind was vari- 

 able : during April it generally blew from the NW. 



