SPORT AND SCIENCE ON THE 



That evening we set out a line of traps, which we 

 visited thereafter at dusk and dawn, and from 

 which we drew a supply of specimens, including 

 gerbils {Meriones psammophilus), hamsters {Crice- 

 iulus triton incanus and C. andersoni), and other 

 rodents. We skinned these in the mornings, 

 while we spent the afternoons making excursions 

 dowTi the river or hunting for game. ^Ve soon 

 located some bustards, but as yet they were too 

 shy to allow of our near approach, having just 

 run the gauntlet of feather hunters from Mongolia 

 southward. 



These birds we hunted with rifles and on horse- 

 back, and at length managed to get a flock close 

 up to an irrigation canal. Stalking along this, 

 we came within a hundred yards of the bustards, 

 then cautiously peeping over the bank, each of us 

 selected his bird and at a whispered signal fired. 

 Warrington's bird dropped dead, but mine escaped, 

 leaving behind a few feathers shaved off its back 

 by the bullet. 



We discovered some badger holes and set traps 

 for them, but succeeded only in catching a mink, 

 which however escaped, leaving a claw behind 

 in token of its carelessness. 



As the days grew colder, more birds came down 

 from the north, and soon we noted large flocks 

 of mallard and teal out on the muddy stretches. 



We organized several shooting parties, made 

 up of friends from the T'ai-yiian community, and 



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