102 WILD LIFE IN CHINA. 



draw attention at any time, but, for reasons above given, one 

 does not shoot him as a rule. The only specimen I have ever 

 bagged was for purposes of stuffing. He was got many 

 years ago on a paddy field now occupied by part of the eastern 

 side of the Shanghai railway station! 



The white-breasted moorhen, G. Phoenicura, or Erythra 

 Phoenicura, is another bird common enough in China. It 

 seems to have all the characteristics of its better known 

 relative, the ordinary moorhen. Last springwhen two orthree 

 of myfamily were with me at the hills, we made a careful stalk 

 one day after Erythra. She was supposed to be in or near 

 to a fairly thick clump of bamboos not far from the junction 

 of two large creeks, and with lots of cover everywhere in the 

 immediate vicinity. There was everything in favour of the 

 bird, therefore, but the hunt was successful, and madame 

 moorhen with her white throat finding herself practically 

 hemmed in went up, and gave us all a good view of herself, 

 which was all we wished. 



Other members of this interesting family are the coots 

 ( Fill tea atra). Of no use whatever when brought to bag, the 

 coot is usually left alone. Rallina Mandarina is Swinhoe's 

 name for a species differing in some respects from the other 

 rails, and there are still others, David placing the number 

 known in China at eleven. As has been said, they are not of 

 a sort to attract the sportsman out only for blood, but when 

 ornithology conquers sport the rails are as interesting a 

 study as any I know. 



