observed in the Vicinity of Wei Hai Wei. 661 



Unfortunately, the writer never ariived in Wei Ilai Wei 

 earlier than the last week in May nor remained there later 

 than the middle of October, so that personal observations on 

 the winter visitors are perforce omitted. 



In the summer months the climate of Wei Ilai Wei is 

 cool, compared to places immediately north and south of it, 

 but the winter is very severe for the latitude. When it is 

 borne in mind that floating sea-ice is not unknown at 

 Wei Hai Wei, and that its parallel of latitude in Europe 

 crosses the south of Spain, it is obvious that the winter 

 visitors must he of a more arctic tjpe in Shantung than in 

 the Iberian Peninsula. 



On the question of local races and subspecies little will be 

 found in these notes. That subspecies trinominally raised 

 to specific rank exist in North-Eastern Asia is bewilderingly 

 evident at the present time. The determination of such 

 races appears to require an acuteness of vision, and parti- 

 cularly of colour-vision, such as is found in but few, and to 

 which the writer can lay no claim. 



The arrangement followed is in the main that of Dresser's 

 ' Manual of Pakearctic Birds. ^ It is, of course, to be 

 understood that this small contribution to the ornithology 

 of North-East China in no sense sets forth a list of the 

 birds of Wei Hai Wei. It is impossible to think of 

 ornithology in connection with the Shantung Peninsula 

 Avithout calling to mind that Swinhoe, that great pioneer in 

 Chinese zoology, spent the last months of his well-filled 

 career in the country at Chefoo, only forty odd miles from 

 Wei Hai Wei. Sent there to try and recover failing health, 

 he nevertheless found time and energy sufficient to make 

 the many interesting notes and observations recorded in 

 "^ The Ibis' of 1874-75, to which reference is made, on 

 occasion, in this short article. 



It has been thought desirable to give measurements of 

 the eggs mentioned in these notes, as such particulars appear 

 to have an interest for some ornithologists, and, as the 

 notes are in English, the measurements are in inches and 

 decimal parts of an inch. 



SEK. IX. VOL. V. 2 \ 



