1908.] FROM THE MONGOLIAN PLATEAU. 105 



them are represented by excellent series of the perfectly prepared 

 skins to which Mr. Anderson has now accustomed us, skins of a 

 very different character to any on which work in Eastern Asia 

 has hitherto had to be done. 



Mr. Anderson's notes on the trip are as follows : — 

 " On the 16th July, 1907, I left Kalgan (Jang-kia-kou), in 

 North-western Chih-li Province, for the Mongolian Plateau. Some 

 twelve miles north-west of Kalgan we began the ascent of the 

 escarpment, and about 18 miles from that city found ourselves at 

 the summit of the range of mountains which, in this part, borders 

 the plateau. From here we descended some hundreds of feet to 

 reach the general level of the tableland. We travelled two days 

 over the plateau, till, on the evening of the second, we reached 

 Taboul (Five Hills), at a point 100 miles north-west by north 

 from Kalgan. Here, at an elevation of approximately 5000 feet, 

 the country is of rolling hills w4th only occasional level stretches. 

 There is not a tree, nor even a bush, in the region, but the hills 

 bear abundant grass, which makes this district the best pasture- 

 land in Mongolia. It is, indeed, the district from which the 

 Chinese Government draws its supply of cavalry-horses. Sheep, 

 goats, kine, camels, and horses are raised by the natives, who 

 have no other means of livelihood. 



" In general the rainfall is meagre, but it chanced that during 

 my stay, between July 18th and August 13th, there were almost 

 daily rains, which often came in the shape of cloud-bui-sts, 

 coming up in the south-west and disappearing in the north-east. 

 Heavy dews fall nightly. I was informed that the winters are 

 cold with piercing winds, but the snowfall is not great." — M. P. A. 



1. YULPES sp. 



S. 1487. 



Too young for determination. 



"A family of foxes was in the Taboul neighbourhood when I 

 went there, but they were evidently very shy, for on seeing us 

 one day they forsook the place and did not return." — M. P. A. 



2. OlTELLUS MONGOLICUS M.-Edw. 



S. 1475, 1477, 1493, 1499, 1500, 1502, 1516. 



$ . 1479, 1483, 1501, 1503, 1504, 1510, 1533. 



These specimens are certainly referable to C. mongolicus, 

 whether that animal is or is not synonymous with C. brevicauda 

 Brandt, as has been asserted. 



Mr. Campbell also obtained some exam23les of the species at 

 Hara-ussu, not far from the present locality. 



The Old- World Citelli are very unsatisfactorily known, and 

 this plentiful series will be of much assistance in working out the 

 group. 



" Very common ; diurnal. 



" On our trip into Mongolia, both going and returning, I saw 

 great numbers of these animals along the road. Particularly in 



