168 THE BIRDS OF MONGOLIA ETC. 



down on the snow to rest. In spring, about the end of April, I saw some 

 small flocks which, judging from their behaviour, were migrating. 



In Ussuri country it is very scarce, and winters on the coasts of the 

 Japanese sea. 



Measurements :— 













Length. 



Width. 



Wing. 



Tail. 



Tarsus. 



Culmen 



in. 



?. ? Ussuri ... 3-8 



in. 



? 



in. 



1-9 



in. 



1-33 



in. 

 0-6 



in. 

 057 



cT. Muni-ul . . . 3*5 



57 



1-83 



1-16 



067 



0-58 



? (young). Kan-su . ? 



? 



1-82 



1-2 



0-65 



058 



42. Rhopophilus pekinensis, Swinh. 



Is resident in those mountains of Mongolia where trees and bushes 

 abound ; the latter especially are its habitations. It usually keeps close to 

 the ground, and very cleverly climbs between them. Its flight is very weak ; 

 and it never flies over great distances, but only from bush to bush. The 

 song is rather pleasant, but very short. 



We also observed it in the Ala-shan mountains, and once in the 

 Hoang-ho valley. It does not occur in Kan-su, and is replaced in Tsaidam 

 by the variety jS (var. major^ major et pallidior). 



Comparative measurements : — 



Length. Width. Wing. Tarsus. Culmen. 

 in. in. in. in. in. 



Rhopophilus pekinensis . . 7 ? 2*42 0*91 0*64 



/3. var. major .... 77 8 2*7 0-89 0*64 



The latter was observed only in Tsaidam. It inhabits the thick bushes 

 (^Nitraria schoberi^, on the berries of which it feeds in autumn and winter. 



Early in spring, about the middle of February, the males were singing 

 in the mornings ; and soon after, this species commenced building. 



