146 PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING 
boulders may be found, piled together probably by 
avalanches, and in such a loose way that anybody walk- 
ing over them might chance to set one moving, and that 
would most likely set a large number rolling down in a 
most dangerous way. I saw at least a hundred of the 
Crossoptilon, many in places where it was impossible to 
shoot. 
Pere Soulié came up and stayed a day and a night, 
and on the 14th we returned to Ta-tsien-lu, and I at 
once made preparations for departure. My journey 
there was not originally contemplated, but I saw such 
an interesting country before me that I resolved, if 
possible, to return the following year. I had, however, 
considerable collections at Ta-tien-chih, and these, with 
‘what I had collected at Ta-tsien-lu, I was anxious to get 
together and send home as early as possible. In addi- 
tion to what I had when I left the former place, I ex- 
pected to have a large quantity gathered by the collectors 
T had left behind. 
