CHAPTER XLVIII. 



CHINESE FIELD SPORTS. (Concluded.) 



One naturally turns to Marco Polo to see if that romantic 

 old observer has anything to say respecting Wild Life in 

 China, and the reference is not without result. There is a 

 passing notice, en route, to falcons in Persia. "They are 

 smaller than the peregrine falcon : reddish about the breast, 

 belly, and under the tail: and their flight is so swift that no 

 bird can escape them." At Changa-nor, which sounds 

 Tibetan, he finds cranes, pheasants, partridges, and other 

 birds, with gerfalcons and hawks in use for sports. Speaking 

 of the Grand Khan's hunting establishment, that of Kublai, 

 he tells how boars, stags, fallow deer, roebucks, and bears 

 were killed by being surrounded by a large circle of hunters 

 who gradually converged. Dogs and arrows were then used. 

 Leopards and lynxes were kept for the chase, "also many 

 lions which are larger than the Babylonian lions." "It is an 

 admirable sight, when the lion is let loose in pursuit of an 

 animal, to observe the savage eagerness and speed with which 

 he overtakes it." In all probability the word "lion" has been 

 wrongly used in this connexion, the animal employed being 

 probably a hunting leopard or a cheetah. " His Majesty has 

 eagles also, which are trained to stoop at wolves, and such 

 is their strength that none, however large, can escape from 

 their talons." (Chap XIV, Travels of Marco Polo.) 



Another old, but more recent authority, is the interesting 

 folio volume of travels and descriptions of China published 

 in 1671 by the East India Company, a copy of which has very 

 kindly been lent to me by Mr. Browett. In the section dealing 

 with wild life there, we find that the province of Huquang 

 was reputed to be noted for its deer, that there were wolves in 

 Shantung, bears in Shensi, with wild bulls, leopards, etc. 

 amongst the hills. Szechwan boasted a kind of rhinoceros, 

 whilst "Elephants which are seen in most parts of China, 

 are all brought out of the provinces of Yunnan and Quangsi, 

 where they breed in great numbers, the inhabitants making 

 use of them in time of war." (This, with some other na'ive 

 statements may be taken with the customary grain of salt.) 

 Chekiang was a province full of tigers, some of which, on 

 Mt. Ktt-tien, "do no hurt to men," and even wild ones brought 



