observed in the Vicinity of II ei Hat TFci. 673 



time family- parties, of six to nine, are often to be met with, 

 bnt in September flocks of as many as thirty individuals are 

 to be seen. It is possible that some of the birds forming 

 these large parties wander in from districts other than those 

 in which the flocks are seen. 



Probably nearly all the jNFagpies about Wei Hai Wei 

 are resident in Shantung. The Chinese there regard the 

 Magpie as a lucky bird, but although they will not readily 

 kill one themselves, they do not object to a foreigner doing 

 so, and they have no scruples about taking the eggs. 



This bird builds, in Shantung, precisely the same kind of 

 nest as it does in Europe, but the majority of eggs are laid 

 in May. The earliest date for eggs is May 6th and the 

 latest June 1st. The usual clutch is four or five, and more 

 than seven have not been found. 



As Magpies are not persecuted in China, they naturally 

 become very tame, and nests are often to be met with in 

 quite low trees. 



The olive-green coloured eggs, so common at Hong Kong, 

 were not met with at Wei Hai Wei, where thoy are of a 

 bluish green. Twenty-four eggs from Shi Tao average 

 1'38 X '95 inch, and vary in length from I'JjG to 1"22 and in 

 width from 1-0:2 to -9.2. 



Cypselus pacificus. 



The Pacific Swift is a very abundant species about Wei Hai 

 Wei during the summer months. In habits these birds some- 

 wliat resemble Cypselus apus, but they are less crepuscular 

 and are much more addicted to the tops of mountains, rocky 

 islets, and other places far removed from human habitations. 



Pacific Swifts may be seen at Leu Kung Tao on a summer 

 evening, flying in very large numbers about the highest 

 points of the island, hawking for prey, but without very 

 much screaming. 



The only breeding-place found was at White Rock, where 

 a small colony was striving to maintain itself, in spite of the 

 existence on the is^lct of innumerable hungry rats. The 

 sites of many old nests Mcre found with broken eggs and 



