RETURN TO TSAIDAM. 



CHAPTER VII. 



SPRING ON LAKE KOKO-NOR AND AMONG THE KAN-SU 

 MOUNTAINS. 



Return to Tsaidam — Influence of its warmer climate — Spring in 

 Tsaidam — Migratory birds — Spring in Koko-nor — Mirages — 

 Shooting excursions — Fishing — Thaw on lake — Scarcity of birds — 

 Departure for Chobsen — Equipment of caravan — Sale of revolvers 

 — Humidity of Kan-su — Slippery mountain paths — Fording the 

 Tatung-gol — Encounter with ' Kotens ' — First signs of spring — 

 Night frosts — Gales — Atmospheric phenomena — Tardy vegetation 

 — The great rock-partridge {hailik) — The snow-vulture ; how to 

 shoot it — Heavy snowfall — May in Kan-su — The long-eared 

 pheasant {Crossoptilon aiij-itiim) — The marmot {Arctomys robiistus) 

 —The bear {kung-giiressu') — Extraordinary reports concerning it 

 — We see one — It escapes — Straitened finances — Last weeks in 

 Kan-su — Its variable climate — Departure. 



About the middle of February our wanderings 

 through Northern Tibet terminated, and we returned 

 to the plains of Tsaidam. The contrast between its 

 climate and that of the lofty plateau of Tibet was 

 so marked that in descending the Burkhan Buddha 

 we felt it grow warmer at every step. 



The influence of the warmth of these plains on 

 the neighbouring highlands is apparent as far south 

 as the Shuga range ; for we had hardly recrossed this, 

 and commenced the descent of its northern side, 

 when the climate became sensibly milder. Though 

 the night frosts continued with their former intensity 

 (— 1 8° Fahr.), during the day the sun was powerful, 



