74 SHOOTING IN CHINA 



of these birds are sometimes caught after a 

 snow storm, when they arrive in large 

 numbers in search of food. Having cleared 

 the snow from a patch of ground, the 

 natives scatter a small green bean to attract 

 the birds, and sometimes manage to catch 

 a whole flock in their clap-nets." 



The Snipes of China are seven in 

 number, and it would be difficult to furnish 

 any further information than is afforded 

 in Mr. Styan's valuable contribution on the 

 subject to be found in the pages of " With 

 Boat and Gun in the Yangtze Valley/' 



The winter snipe (Gallinago caelestis), 

 identical with the bird of Great Britain 

 and northern Europe generally, is properly 

 so called for it lies scattered through the 

 country throughout the winter months, 

 though its numbers are largely increased in 

 spring and autumn. It is a smaller bird 

 than the other migratory snipes, and may 

 be easily recognised by its fourteen ordin- 

 arily full sized tail feathers, which have 

 gained for it the name of fantail in India. 

 There is really no saying where this bird 

 may not be met with, but its preference 

 seems to be for damp low-lying patches of 



