1870. ] MR. R. SWINHOE ON CHINESE ZOOLOGY. 433 
neck light ochreous brown; wings and tail light brown, edged with 
reddish olive-brown ; underparts, axillaries, and carpal edge cream- 
white; under edges of quills light salmon-colour; tibials and vent 
yellowish brown ; bill brown on upper mandible, ochreous on lower ; 
legs ochreous flesh-colour, browner on the toes, with brown claws. 
Length 5:2 inches. Wing 4°1, first primary measuring *55 in 
length and being 8 shorter than the second, which is *2 shorter than 
the third, which is ‘05 shorter than the fourth, which is slightly 
longer than the fifth and the longest in the wing. Tail 2°3 inches, 
much graduated, the outer rectrix being ‘5 shorter than the middle ; 
subcaudal coverts fall °85 short of end of tail. Bill in front -45, to 
rictus ‘67. Tarse ‘84. Outer toe rather longer than the inner; 
middle toe °5, its claw ‘21; hind toe ‘33, its claw ‘25. 
On the 2nd of July we walked across the valley to the range of 
hills about six miles distant, to a magnificent temple called T'acheo-sze, 
where the Prussian legation had temporary quarters. The Lark of 
these intermontane valleys is a crested species—the Galerida leautun- 
gensis (mihi). They rose on all sides about us, making the country 
resound with their short sweet notes. They seldom rose more than 
forty or fifty yards from the ground. Their more frequent custom is to 
sing on the ground ; and then their notes have quite a ventriloquistie 
effect. This was their breeding-season, and they were very merry. 
I saw them dusting themselves in the road as Skylarks are wont 
todo. The other conspicuous bird of these valleys is the Black 
Drongo, Dicrurus macrocercus (Vieill.). The willow is the chief tree ; 
and among the groves of them the Black Drongo shares habitancy 
with the Sparrow, Passer montanus (L.). A pair of the former had 
a nest on the slender top twigs of a willow; one bird was sitting, 
and I watched its mate relieve it and take turn. Large numbers of 
natives passed, carrying baskets of apricots and peaches; the former 
were nearly out of season, the latter just coming in. Damsons 
were also appearing. Siskins, (Chrysomitris spinus), were breeding 
among the apricot-orchards around Tacheo-sze; and Goldenwings, 
Chlorospiza sinica (L.), old and young, were flitting about in small 
parties. Ona mound by the side of a trickling stream in the wood 
hill-side I noticed a Wood-Wagtail, Nemoricola indica (Gmel.), 
pulling at a worm. It would not be disturbed by my approach. I 
had several opportunities of watching this bird, as it spends its 
summer among these western hills. It raises and depresses its tail 
slowly. It sings from the bough of a tree, moving the hinder part 
of its body from side to side; its song consists of a long wailing 
whistle-note, which it sometimes doubles. In flying it rises up and 
down, but utters no note with every jerk as do the true Wagtails. 
It is extremely tame. I did not find its nest. 
On the 6th of July we visited a large cave about a mile from our 
temple. It is on the side of a low hill which stands alone. Its 
mouth is about 20 feet in diameter, opening into an abyss floored 
with broken rocks, among which water has collected. Its internal 
dimensions are large ; but it offers no means of entrance. Along the 
