THE BIRDS OF MONGOLIA ETC. 155 



September, and never in Gobi. It is rather scarce in Ussuri country, and 

 arrives at Lake Hanka about the end of March. 



23. Athene plumipes, Swinh. Sirin mochnonogey. 



We found Athene plumipes throughout MongoUa, but only rarely at 

 Koko-nor and in Northern Tibet. In Mongolia it frequents the lofty and 

 hilly steppes, which abound with small rodents ; whilst in Ala-shan we often 

 met with it in the sacsaulnics on the high but woodless mountains. In the 

 open steppes it keeps to the clayey shores of brooks or rivers, and inhabits 

 also the deserted habitations of man, which are rather numerous in Ordos 

 and Ala-shan. We could often hear, both by day and night, this OwFs 

 sohtary cry, which used to frighten the superstitious Mongols, who believe 

 that these sounds are uttered by the murdered people who formerly dwelt 

 there. Sometimes the Owl would sit during the night on the top of our tent, 

 which usually was spread in a plain, and would keep on calling so long that 

 we had to frighten it away. 



Like its European relation it can see very well during the day, and is 

 sensible enough to avoid danger, but is easily killed at that time. 



24. Bubo maximus, Sibb. Filin pugatch. 



Though we were not successful in obtaining even a single Eagle-Owl 

 for our collection, still we repeatedly observed it in the mountains of Kan-su, 

 and once we took a young specimen from an Aquila Ufasciata by whom it was 

 killed. I believe I observed it also at Ordos ; but not possessing a specimen, 

 we cannot state whether the Mongolian and Kan-su Eagle-Owls belong to 

 the lighter-coloured and larger variety (^Buho sihiricus, Licht.) inhabiting 

 Eastern Siberia and the Amur, or to our European one. In Ussuri country 

 the Eagle-Owl (^Bubo sibiricus) is found in all forests, but is not very common. 

 About the middle of March I killed a male specimen on the Sungatch. It 



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