228 WILD LIFE IN CHINA. 



decayed form is used for the purpose named, and as nobodj^ 

 could account for its condition they explained it by assum- 

 ing it to be the droppings of an animal, the rest of which 

 could then easily be imagined, food and all complete. 



There are more fabulous birds in Chinese legends than 

 there are beasts. The phoenix has already been mentioned.- 

 So far as I know, the Arabian legend in which it rises from 

 its own ashes is not known in the Far East. But its place 

 is taken by other details quite as interesting. In the first 

 place the bird is as rare in China as ever the phoenix 

 was with the Arabs and others. It is only to be 

 found when reason rules mankind. Consequently it is 

 as uncommon as the fabled immaculate official of whom two 

 specimens are to be known in Chinese history. One of 

 these is already dead, and the other not yet born. When 

 the phoenix does come, however, it is followed by all the 

 rest of the feathered tribe, and brings with it prosperity and 

 well-being to the whole country. Would that it might arrive 

 to-morrow. But where is the rule of reason? 



In the province of Shansi, and in the hsien of Hung- 

 tung there is a bird which is endowed with what seems to be 

 a power readily believed in by the Chinese, and not unknown 

 in earlier times in the West, the power of changing its form. 

 It can throw aside its bird-nature at will, divest itself of its^ 

 feathers and become a woman. The metamorphosis is so- 

 complete that the bird-woman can be mated with a man and 

 live with him as his wife. Should she fly off occasionally 

 he ought not to be surprised, if he is acquainted with the 

 circumstances. 



One of the bits of superstition alluded to in a previous 

 chapter (on owls) is connected with the Hiu-liu, a kind of 

 laughing horned owl. This is one of the purely nocturnal 

 kind, lying low during the day. One of its little pecuUarities 

 is its fondness for playing spiteful tricks on children. If 

 their clothing is left out at night, the owl will drop some 

 dust on them which has the certain effect of making the 

 child ill. Another more uncanny power possessed by it is its 

 ability to become the abode of some dead man's soul. This 

 in itself should give it supernatural power, but not content 

 with that the Hiu-liu in some marvellous manner adds to 

 its impish attributes by eating finger nails. That explains 

 very fully, and of course quite naturally, why country people 

 always hide their nail cuttings. 



Another extraordinary bird is known as the Fire-queller. 

 It has a peculiar screeching cry, but its chief characteristic 

 is its power, if thrown on a fire, of putting it out at once. In 

 Shanghai one of our earliest fire brigade companies called 

 itself, in what is perhaps questionable Chinese, the Mih-ho- 



