THE BIEDS OF MONGOLIA ETC. 151 



15. Hypotriorchis ^SALON, L. Socol derbnick. 



Is much more abundant than the preceding species, and was observed 

 by us in the Zachar country during the winter, in Ordos and Kan-su during 

 the summer, and at Tsaidam in the month of February. In Ussuri district and 

 about the Amur we did not meet with this species ; nor has it been seen by 

 any naturahst w^ho has visited that river. 



16. TiNNUNCULUS jAPONicus, Schlcg. Pustelga japoushaya. 



Tinnunculus japonicus, Temm. & Schleg. Eaun. Jap. pi. i. 



We found this the most common bird of prey in all the countries visited 

 by us — i. e, in the plains of Mongolia (except the most desolate parts of the 

 desert), Kan-su, and Northern Tibet. In all these places this Kestrel is a 

 resident, and breeds on rocks and trees. In the woodless plains of Mongolia 

 it usually keeps to the hilly or mountainous parts ; whilst in localities where 

 there are a few trees it can commonly be seen perching on the tops of the 

 latter. In the western portion of the Urot country, betw^een Ala-shan and 

 Halha, where elm trees are numerous, it is very common. It is tolerably 

 numerous in Ussuri country, and keeps in the interior of the country as well 

 as on the sea-shore. About Hanka it is rather scarce and leaves for the 

 winter about the end of September, returning again in March. 



17. Erythropus amurensis, Radde. Copchick amurskey. 



Erythropus amurensis, Radde^ Reisen im Siiden von Ost-Sib. tab. i. f. 2. 



Erythropus amurensis , so commonly distributed throughout China, is to 

 be met with sporadically in Mongolia, and even then only close to the habi- 

 tations of men. We found it breeding only in the vicinity of the Missionary 

 Station of El-shi-san-fu and the town of Din-jan-in, but never saw it 

 in the Hoang-ho valley, although the locality seems to be a very suitable one 

 for it. We noticed a pair in Kan-su breeding in some poplars which grew 



