770 MB.. OLDFIELD THOMAS ON [NoV. 15, 



In the winter snow and ice cover the mountains ; the spring is 

 rainy and very cold. Moderate heat prevails in summer, and the 

 autumn is cool and fairly dry as in other parts of China. We 

 were told that it rains in Kuatun for eight months in the year. 

 This country is about as wild as any in S.E. China. Close to 

 Kuatun whole mountain-slopes are still virgin forest, the steep- 

 ness of the hills and difficulty of transporting the timber being 

 the reasons for which deforestation is not carried on in the usual 

 Chinese fashion. The native hunters that we emploj-ed while 

 at Kuatun are excellent field-naturalists and hardy, energetic 

 hunters, and in all their statements regarding the natural history 

 of the district were perfectly truthful and straightforward. But 

 they, as well as the villagers generally, are rough and unsympathetic, 

 and their love of money is unbounded. Although Kuatun is an 

 excellent collecting-ground, the country is by no means easy to 

 work. The hills are very steep, the forests very thick and difficult 

 walking, and cold, damp, want of nourishing food, and all the 

 n\inor discomforts consequent on living in close proximity with 

 Chinese will be experienced by any one venturing to explore these 

 wild parts of S.E. China." 



1. Macacus ehesus L. 



" One of a party of three killed by a hunter. The natives told 

 us that this species was the commoner of the two kno\^Ti at 

 Kuatun. Monkeys are seldom seen in summer, but in autumn and 

 winter they are often seen in the woods going about in bands." 



2. Rhinolophus luctus Temm. 



One specimen. 18/4/98. 



This is the fii'st record of the occurrence of B. luctus in China, 

 but it is quite natural that so characteristic a Himalayan form 

 should be found there. 



3. Rhinolophus peaesoni Horsf. 

 One specimen. 16/4/98. 



4. Vespertilio MTJBiNirs' STTPEEANS, subsp. n." 



Six specimens. 



Apparently exactly like the European V. murinus in colour and 

 all other respects, but constantly larger, the forearm ranging from 

 4 to 9 mm. longer than in European examples. 



Forearm of the type 50 mm. 



Hab. Se-sa-lin, Ichang, Taug-tse-kiang. 



Type. B. M. No. 97.4.21.1. Collected Oct. 1, 1896, and pre- 

 sented by Mr. F. W. Styan. 



The first Chinese example of V. rmirinus received by the Museum 

 was that presented by Mr. Styan, and now selected as the type. 

 In spite of its markedly greater size it did not seem advisable to 



' Vesj>eriuio discoloi- auctorum. 



