THE BIRDS OF MONGOLIA ETC. 275 



across it in Cliina proper, and consequently suppose that the Ordos mountains 

 form its eastern boundary, whither it goes from Persia and Afghanistan. 



Measurements— length 7"-3, wing 3"-7, tail 3"-4, culmen 0"'5, tarsus O'^'S. 



127. Garrulus brandtii, Eversm. SoyJca Brandta. 



Garrulus brandtii Eversm. Ibis^ 1867, pi. iii. 



This eastern form of our common Jay was obtained by us in the woods 

 of the Kan-su mountains. In its habits and voice it completely corresponds 

 with G, fflandarius. Specimens killed in August w^ere moulting rapidly. 

 About Lake Hanka it is rare, but rather common on the coasts of the Japanese 

 Sea, especially in autumn. 



128. PoDOCES HENDERSONi, Humc. Soyka sacsaulnaya. 



Podoces hendersoni, Henderson & Hume, Lahore to Yarkand, pi. xxii. 



This interesting bird was discovered in 1850, in Western Tibet, by 

 Forsyth's expedition, and described by Mr. Hume. A year later on, we met 

 with it at its eastern boundary of distribution. From Ordos and Ala-shan P. 

 hendersoni occurs down to the Kan-su mountains ; avoiding these, it settles 

 at Tsaidam, but has not been observed on the high plains of Northern Tibet. 

 In Gobi, between Ala-shan and Urgey, we repeatedly saw it on our w^ay, and 

 therefore consider that its distribution extends to 45° N. lat. It inhabits 

 exclusively the wildest and most desolate parts of the desert, where only a 

 few sacsaulnics grow. Here it lives, in small flocks of from five to seven 

 individuals, usually running about on the ground, and is so swift a runner, 

 that a wounded bird cannot be caught by a man. When running, it keeps 

 its head and tail in a horizontal position and wabbles considerably from one 

 side to the other. The Mongols call it " Holo-goro.'^ 



Although P, hendersoni prefers keeping to the ground, still it often 

 sits on the dry branches of the sacsaulnics, wagging its tail like a 

 Chat. When on the wdng it very much resembles a Hoopoe ; and, like that 



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