80 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY 
5th.— Yarkand.—A cloudy morning and rather a cold wind 
blowing as we started from Kokrobat ; during the day how- 
ever the weather got warmer than we have experienced it for 
some time. Yarkand is, no doubt, warmer than Kashghar. 
After leaving Kokrobat there were many low sand hills and 
a good of serub-jungle on each side of the road. At a small 
hamlet on the way, where we breakfasted, I noticed a number 
of Thrushes (Planesticus atrogularis) and a few Starlings 
(Sturnus vulgaris) among the trees ; and on the road I saw the 
Common Crow, the Rook (Corvus frugilegus) and the Hooded 
Crow (Corvus cornix). ae this we rode for along way 
among low sand hills, covered with long grass 5 the Yarkand 
Pheasant (Phasianus Shawi) was common in this ground, and 
one of the party purchased a couple of male birds of this 
species, which had been captured by some peasant. A pie 
of people sent by the Dad Khwah to receive us, met us 
short way out of Yarkand, and rode in with us; and on once 
the Residency we found our followers, who had been left be- 
hind, all drawn up en grande tenue. It is pleasant to get back 
to our old quarters here, but the space is decidedly much more 
confined than at Kashghar. 
6th.— Yangi Shahr, Yarkand.—To-day we paid a visit to 
the Dad Khwah, who received us with his usual cordiality ; he 
talked very learnedly about the ancient and modern systems of 
medicine, and in conversation alluded incidentally to the dis- 
agreement that had arisen between China and Japan with 
reference to Formosa, which he pronouced Pormosu. I find we 
have a Peacock and Peahen (Pavo cristatus) in our compound 
here; and some of the Hindu servants have taken an ancient 
Chinese terrier under their protection. A colony of Ringdoves 
(Turtur Stoliczk@) seems to be permanently established near 
one of the rooms. 
23rd.—To-day has been devoted to shooting birds. The 
Yuzbashi brought several trained Goshawks which he said 
would be very useful for our sport, but as this proposal did not 
smile to me, I kept steadily away from the hawking party, who 
secured about half a dozen ducks during the day. The weather 
was dull and cloudy throughout, and very cold; the maximum 
temperature during the day being below freezing point. Of 
course, the first bird noticed, on riding out of the Fort, was the 
ubiquitous Tree Sparrow (P. montanus), as lively as ever in 
this semi-arctic weather ; and the Ringdove (7. Stoliczke) perch- 
ing on the house tops. In the open space between the Fort 
and City, the Crested Lark (G. magna) was running about on 
the road ; and the: Hoopoe (U. epops) was common—evidently 
much more numerous here than at Kashghar. 
