274 THE BIRDS OF MONGOLIA ETC. 



occasions in the alpine bush-region ; altogether it is a scarce bird. On the 

 21st of May I found a nest in a thick stunted fir, about seven feet high from 

 the ground, at the shore of the river Pelung. The exterior of the nest was 

 made of moss ; and the interior wa,s lined with fibres and grass-roots. The 

 bird had just commenced laying ; and the only egg in the nest I unfortunately 

 broke. It was of a dirty white colour, with brown spots, which were 

 thickest at the large end. 

 Measurements : — 





Lengtli. 



Width. 



Wing. 



Culmen. 



Tarsus. 



Tail. 





in. 



in. 



in. in. 



in. in. 



in. 



in. 



c? . 



. 9-95 



11 



3-96-4 



4-42-4 -7 



0-65 



106 



? . 



. 9-5 



? 



3-9 



4-51 



0-57 



103 



125. Lanius phcenicurus, Pall. 



Otomela cristata, Schalow^ Cab. Journ. f. Orn. 1875^ p. 130. 



Was observed throughout our travels, with the exception of Koko-nor, 

 Tsaidam, and Northern Tibet. In those localities which we visited in winter 

 or earl}^ in spring, we found it most numerous in the Hoang-ho valley. In 

 Ala-shan they breed in the sacsaulnics ; and in Kan-su they generally inhabit 

 the low wooded plains. The first migrants were seen to arrive in the 

 Hoang-ho valley on the 28th of April. It breeds commonly in the woods of 

 Ussuri country, especially in those localities where there are many decayed 

 or felled trees. 



126. Lanius arenarius, Blyth. 



Lanius arenarius, Henderson & Hume^ Lahore to Yarkand^ pi. iii. 



Breeds in Ordos and Ala-shan, and is rather numerous in the Hoang-ho 

 valley ; still not so abundant as the preceding species. We did not come 



