SPORT AND SCIENCE ON THE 
That evening we set out a line of traps, which we 
visited thereafter at dusk and dawn, and from 
which we drew a supply of specimens, including 
gerbils (Meriones psammophilus), hamsters (Crice- 
iulus triton incanus and C. andersoni), and other 
rodents. We skinned these in the mornings, 
while we spent the afternoons making excursions 
down the river or hunting for game. We soon 
located some bustards, but as yet they were too 
shy to allow of our near approach, having just 
run the gauntlet of feather hunters from Mongolia 
southward. 
These birds we hunted with rifles and on horse- 
back, and at length managed to get a flock close 
up to an irrigation canal. Stalking along this, 
‘we came within a hundred yards of the bustards, 
then cautiously peeping over the bank, each of us 
selected his bird and at a whispered signal fired. 
Warrington’s bird dropped dead, but mine escaped, 
Jeaving behind a few feathers shaved off its back 
by the bullet. 
We discovered some badger holes and set traps 
for them, but succeeded only in catching a mink, 
‘which however escaped, leaving a claw behind 
in token of its carelessness. 
As the days grew colder, more birds came down 
from the north, and soon we noted large flocks 
of mallard and teal out on the muddy stretches. 
We organized several shooting parties, made 
up of friends from the T’ai-yiian community, and 
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