THE GREAT PARK OF THE EASTERN TOMBS 263 



We had come to the Tung Ling especially to obtain 

 specimens of the sika deer (Cervus hortulorum) and 

 the Reeves's pheasant (Syrmaticus reevesi). The for- 

 mer, a noble animal about the size of our Virginia deer 

 in America, has become exceedingly rare in north China. 

 The latter, one of the most beautiful of living birds, is 

 found now in only two localities near Ichang on the 

 Yangtze River, and at the Tung Ling. When the for- 

 ests of the Eastern Tombs have been cleared this species 

 will be extinct in all north China. 



Early in the morning we left with six hunters. Our 

 way led up the bottom of the valley toward a mountain 

 ridge north of camp. As we walked along the trail, 

 suddenly one of the hunters caught me by the arm and 

 whispered, fe Sang-chi" (wild chicken). There was a 

 whir of wings, a flash of gold and I registered a clean 

 missl The bird alighted on the mountain side, and in 

 the bliss of ignorance Smith and I dashed after it. Ten 

 minutes later we were exhausted from the climb and the 

 pheasant had disappeared. We learned soon that it is 

 useless to chase a Reeves's pheasant when it has once 

 been flushed, for it will invariably make for a mountain 

 side, run rapidly to the top, and, once over the summit, 

 fly to another ridge. 



On the way home I got my first pheasant, and an 

 hour later put up half a dozen. I should have had two 

 more, but instead of shooting I only stared, fascinated 

 by the beauty of the thing I saw. It was late in the 

 afternoon and the sun was drawing oblique paths of 

 shimmering golden light among the trees. In a clearing 



