THE BIRDS OF MONGOLIA ETC. 303 



159. Erythrospiza mongolica, Swinh. 



Sev. Vert, i Gor. raspr. Turk. Jev. p. 117. 



We observed these birds in Halha, Ordos, and Ala-shan ; then, although 

 they do not occur in Kan-su, they inhabit Koko-nor and Tsaidam. Its 

 favourite locahties are high clayey hills, especially if they abound with 

 ravines. From here the birds visit stony localities of some mountain-plains 

 and near saltv^ater lakes, where they feed upon the seeds of salt plants. 

 The note, uttered when on the wing, consists of a few short syllables, 

 something like " tuch, tuck, tuck." 



Early in May 1872 I found, in the Harin-narin-ul, a nest constructed in 

 the thick branches of a young elm tree, not above one fathom from the 

 ground. The foundation consisted of dry branches of a mugwort, and the 

 lining of a thick layer of goat's hair. The eggs (three in number) were 

 quite fresh ; they are of an elongated conical shape, of a whitish green 

 colour, and marked on the large end with a few blackish spots and lines. 

 Large diameter 0"-82-0"-86, small diameter 0"-54-0"'58 (Pl.xx.*fig. 3). The 

 female was already sitting very close, so that I almost caught her on the nest 

 with my hands. The male was also near at the time ; and when the female, 

 after leaving the nest, joined the male, they commenced caressing each other, 

 just like Pigeons. 



In Tsaidam we often met with E. mongolica, in November, on the clayey 

 plains ; hat they were very cautious and unsettled. The crops of specimens 

 killed by us contained at the time some seeds. 



In the localities we explored, the Hurha mountains form its northern 

 boundary of distribution. 



160. Erythrospiza obsoleta, Licht. 



Bonaparte^ MonograpMe des Loxiens^ pi. xxxii. 



We found these birds only in the northern bend of the Hoang-ho, the 



■^ [This refers to a Plate of eggs in the original. — Editor of O. M.] 



