156 THE BIRDS OF MONGOLIA ETC. 



was sitting on the river-side, in high grass, and, this happening in the day- 

 time, it let me approach within about one foot. Measurements — length 

 27^ wing 19^ tail ll''-5. 



We were not fortunate in collecting Owls, having obtained only one 

 species (Athene plumipes)y although we observed in Ordos, S.E. Mongolia, and 

 Ala-shan at least two more species ; but what they were I cannot state 

 with certainty. The following adventure with a nocturnal bird, probably an 

 Owl, is very strange : — 



In Ussuri country I often heard, between the months of May and July, 

 late in the evenings or at night, the tolerably loud noise of a bird unknown 

 to me. Its cry is something like '' ot-ot, ot-ot ;" it kept mostly to the rocks 

 and wooded or fissured plains, and commenced calling so late that I was 

 unable to catch a glimpse of it. 



On the first evening of our arrival at the wooded mountains of Muni-ul, 

 in June 1871, I heard this cry again ; and during our stay of eleven days we 

 could hear the voice of this unknown bird every night, but could never see it, 

 owing to the late twiUght (at which time it commences its call) and the very 

 difficult walking at such a time over the rocky localities. The Mongols know 

 it very well, and call it " socto-shubu " (^. e, drunken bird), on account of 

 its irregular flight when frightened up in the daytime. 



In the month of April 1872 we revisited Muni-ul, and heard this note 

 again throughout the night and several times in the day, but only during 

 very short intervals. On this occasion we did our best to find it out, by 

 hiding ourselves in the clefts from where the cries seemed to come ; but all 

 was useless. Only once the Owl flew above my head, but even then at such 

 a speed that I could not fire. According to the flight and wings, it is a 

 medium -sized Owl. It does not call only from rocks, but also from trees. 



Besides Muni-ul we heard the voice also at Hara-narin-ul, but have not 

 met with it either in Ala-shan or about Kan-su. 



And thus, in the course of my five years' long journey, I could not get 



