1870.] MR, R. SWINHOE ON CHINESE ZOOLOGY. 445 
Swallows, H. gutturalis and H. daurica, were constantly seen ; but 
passing the Keming Hill another species appeared on the scene. I 
detected it at once to be the Cotyle rupestris (Scop.). Its larger 
size, greater breadth of wing, and broader rump distinguished it, 
while flying, from the C. riparia. It occurred in small parties, 
perching and playing about the rocks. We saw them several times 
during this expedition. Iris liver-brown; wing extending half an 
inch beyond tail. Along the base of this hill-range the road reaches 
a gorge made by the hills on the left advancing, with the river 
racing through between over rocks and shallows. Emerging from 
the gorge, a large hilly patch of sand occurred, sparsely sprinkled 
with coarse grass. It was riddled with holes; and little rat-like 
creatures were standing on hind legs, or popping their heads out of 
the holes, or gambolling after one another, just as I have since seen 
the prairie-dogs do on my railway transit across the continent of 
America. A shot fired among them, and all disappear like magic. 
They move fast, but awkwardly, somewhat like Guinea-pigs. ‘Their 
burrows twist and turn in the descent, so that one cannot reach down 
with a stick. One came skeltering along, squeaking, with another 
in pursuit, on toa grass patch. I secured it. Its irides were brown. 
It appears to be the animal that M. Milne-Edwards has figured in 
bis outcoming ‘ Recherches des Mammiferes’ as Spermolegus mon- 
golicus, and that from Amoorland, figured in Middendorff's ‘Sibirische 
Reise’ as Arctomys (Sperm.) eversmanni (Brandt). My specimen 
is light brown above, cream-colour below and along the sides. The 
tail is short, the first half inch of its length with short reddish 
hair, the rest with lengthened hair expanding into a spatula-shape, 
rufescent at its roots, a broad black ring on its centre, with broad 
creamy tips. Both Middendorff and Milne-Edwards in their figures 
convey a good idea of its appearance. A young specimen that I 
have trom Peking has the upper parts much darker and ruddier, and 
the underparts buff-coloured ; tail rufous, with short hair through- 
out. M. Gill, the amateur naturalist attached to the French camp, 
procured this animal in 1860 near Peking. 
Over some tough stony hills we reach Heangshuypoo, twenty- 
three miles from our morning’s start; and as there was still day- 
light, we pushed on over worn roads until, benighted, we were obliged 
to put up in a filthy cattle-stall at the dirty village of Neho-tsze, six 
miles further on. Dozens of carters and country roughs cooked, ate, 
smoked, and talked all night in our cabin, while a storm made the 
darkness horrible outside. We managed to pig it somehow, and 
survived the night. 
Next morning (September 23) we trailed through the mud for 
the remaining five miles, and put up in an inn in the suburb outside 
the wall of Seuenhwafoo, the capital of this prefecture. It rained 
all day, and was cold and wretched. At this city the Roman Catho- 
lics have a prosperous mission, with European priests resident ; and it 
was here that Pere David got a great many of his good things. The 
streets were under water; so we had much difficultyin wading through 
the town. In one of its thoroughfares some live birds were offered 
Proc. Zoou. Soc.—1870, No. XXX. 
