94 THE BIRDS OF MONGOLIA ETC. 



250. Ortygometra pygm^a, Naum. Kiirotchka vodianaya- 



Is rather a common breeding bird in Ordos, on the marshy lake 

 Tsaidemin-nor, but does not occur in Kan-su or Koko-nor. 



In August 1873 we saw one (an old female) in Gobi, near a small well. 

 On account of the want of marshes, it was flying about, together with some 

 Sandpipers, over the muddy ground, and on the approach of danger hid 

 itself in the plants that were growing there. How could this bird, with such 

 a weak flight, get into the centre of this desert.'* Most likely it had 

 got there by mistake. 



It breeds tolerably abundantly in the Ussuri country. 



251. Gallinula chloropus, L, Camishnitza zelenonogaya. 



Breed? at Lake Tsaidemin-nor, in company with the preceding species. 

 In July the young could not fly, and were only about half as large as the old 

 birds. 



We did not observe this species in Kan-su and Koko-nor ; nor does it 

 occur in the Ussuri country. 



252. Fulica atra, L. Lisuha chernaya. 



We met with this species at Dalai-nor during migration, on the 1st of 

 April, 1871, and found it breeding on the marshy lakes in the Hoang-ho 

 valley. Not being pursued at all by man, it is very tame. They were 

 very often swimming about at a distance of about a hundred yards from 

 our tent. 



It does not inhabit Kan-su, Koko-nor, and Halha. 



At Lake Hanka these birds arrive early in April, and breed numerously 

 on the lakes overgrown with reeds, w4iich abound there. 



