THE BIRDS OF MONGOLIA ETC. 287 



golia— namely, in the Suma-had mountains, in a small flock, probably con- 

 sisting of one brood only. On the wooded river-shores and islands of Ussuri 

 it breeds abundantly in hollow trees. The eggs are of a beautiful blue 

 colour^ and usually five in a nest, which the young leave about the 10th of 

 June at Lake Hanka ; and then they can easily be detected by their constant 

 chattering. A very strange circumstance is the disappearance of this bird 

 in Ussuri country from about the middle of July, after which time I never 

 met with a single specimen. This was also remarked by Maack. 



140. Sturnus vulgaris, L. Sevoretz ohicnovennoy , 



During all our travels^ once only did we meet with Starlings, and that 

 at Koko-nor, in October 1872, one of which was killed and preserved. It 

 must have been a pair that accidentally came so far, as it does not occur 

 even in China. 



141. Sturnus ciNERACEUs, Temm. 



Sturnus cineraceuSj Temm. PI. Col. pi. dlvi. 



A few migrating specimens were observed in April at the Shura-had 

 mountains of Eastern Mongolia. It is tolerably abundant in Ussuri country, 

 especially about Lake Hanka, arriving there in spring, in the middle of 

 March, but principally during the month of April. It breeds in hollow trees. 

 The young (usually five in a brood) leave their nests in the beginning of 

 June, form large flocks, and keep together till the end of July, when they 

 suddenly disappear from Ussuri country, as well as Lake Hanka. 



142. Fringilla montifringilla, L. Vursli: nastoyaschey, 



A winter visitant to North China ; found by us in Mongolia during migra- 

 tion, which took place in the end of March. In the other countries traversed 



