i 
[o.6) 
OF EASTERN TURKESTAN. 
I rode through the city of Yarkand, passing the large Serai 
where the goods ‘of the Central Asian Tr ading Company were 
stored, anid. passed out at the South gate; the Bazars struck me 
as being very dirty, and in the streets [ noticed a number of 
Indians and Afghans who seemed to make a point of salaming 
very respectfully. 
On getting into the ground on the south side of the city 
the first familiar birds seen by the road side were the 
Black Crows (Corvus culminatus and corone), the Hooded Crow 
(C. cornia) the Rook (C. frugilegus) and the Jackdaw (Coleus 
monedula) ; all these birds were very numerous, and frequently 
associated together near the same heap of rubbish. Then 
flying about among the small bushes and leafless willow trees, 
we found Erythrospiza obsoleta and Emberiza schenicola, the 
latter very numerous. SHerodias alba and Ardea cinerea were 
both very conspicuous near the streams ; but with the excep- 
tion of a Bittern (Botaurus stellaris), which we started from a 
rush grown marsh, I saw no other waders during the whole 
day. Approaching ‘marshy ground—which is now every where 
frozen, the ice every now and then breaking under foot and 
letting one down into the slush—I noticed Emberiza pyrrhu- 
loides, which is called in Turki Karabash kuchkach or ‘black- 
headed bird’; and there too Anthus aquaticus was common, 
running about on the ice among the rushes. But the most 
striking feature of the Avifauna to-day consisted in the great 
number of Buzzards—of the three species Buteo vulgaris, 
Buteo japonicus, and Buteo feroe—which were hunting every- 
where over the rush-grown frozen marshes. These Buzzards 
were so intent on the work they had in hand, that they 
often seemed to disregard one’s presence, and approached so 
close as to be easily shot. I noticed one species ( Buteo 
ferox) often plunging down among the ‘rushes,:almost head 
foremost ; perhaps it is this habit which has gained forit the 
name of Tokhmak Sa “the Mallet Buzzard, ” among the 
Yarkandis. 
In the long reeds growing in waste ground, both the Long- 
eared Owl ”(Otus vulgaris) and the Short-eared Owl (Otus 
brachyotus) were very common; and the Kestrel (7. alaudarius) 
was often observed during the day, usually Peeks on trees. 
I saw a couple of Hen Harriers (Circus cyaneus) sailing away 
over the fields, and very difficult to get at; only the male birds 
were noticed. Then near the loss banks we saw Athene bac- 
triana, apparently very wide-awake in the broad day-light. 
Planesticus atrogularis was found among some trees lining a 
frozen water course; and a_ solitary Woodpecker ( Picus 
leucopterus) was seen ina clump of tall white poplars. The 
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