48 THE BIRDS OF MONGOLIA ETC. 



was noticed by us about Koko-nor ; whether it got there accidentally, 

 or not, I cannot state. 



In the neighbourhood of Lake Hanka it arrives towards the end 

 of March, in small flocks of from four to ten specimens, and is not 

 very common there, especially in summer, as only very few of them remain 

 to breed in that locality. Its voice is very harmonious. 



222. Anthropoides virgo, L. Juravl maley. 



This is the only Crane that breeds in Mongolia, not only in the fertile 

 districts, but also in the deserts of Ala-shan, where they frequent the wells, 

 which they visit regularly to quench their thirst. This they usually do after 

 the Mongols have driven their cattle to drink, and when small puddles are 

 left by the latter at the edge of the well. 



When living in deserts their food principally consists of a species 

 of Phnjnocephalus, n. sp., which are very abundant there. They arrive 

 in Mongolia in spring, about the end of March, and leave early in 

 September. Only a single flock appeared at Koko-nor on the 28th 

 of February, after which we never met with any there, but saw a large ilock 

 of them, on the 16th of September, in Kan-su, migrating in company with 

 Grus cinerea. It does not occur in Ussuri country. 



223. Ardea cinerea, L. Zaplia seraya. 



Is tolerably abundant in Dalai-nor and in the Hoang-ho valley — i. e. 

 in localities where marshes can be found. It arrives in S.E. Mongolia 

 towards the end of March ; and about Gu-bey-key we noticed it even on the 

 3rd of March. We did not meet with it at Koko-nor, but obtained a 

 specimen in Kan-su about the middle of May. 



It is very common in Ussuri country, and arrives at Lake Hanka about 



