5 



Dec. 19. I have "been on a two days trip to Li Chuang, east of Snifu, but got only 

 two smll birds, and have charged nothing to the Smithsonian for the expenses 

 of the trip. 



War clouds are again hovering over Szechuan. We hope they will blow over. 

 Today I filled box llo. 211, frogs and fish from Yachow, Szechuan, China. I 

 sent a messenger after Yang Fong Tsang, the aborigine collector. It is time 

 he came in with his specimens. 



Dec. 20. Bought a duck that is rather uncoranon. In the past I have secured only 

 one like it. 



Pilled Box 212, fish from Tachow and 213, also fish from Yachow. Worked 

 over and repacked a number of the Yachow specimens. Mammal No. 133, Box 214, 

 birds from Yachow, secured by the netter Chen. 



Dec. 21. Filled boxes 215 mammal and bird bones; 216, insects; 217, mammal skins; 

 218, insects. 



War has actually begun now in the Province and will quite certainly extend 

 so as to involve most of the Province, This will make collecting more dif- 

 ficult for the present, but we will continue to do what we can. Robbers have 

 appeared on the Min Hiver where I travelled in perfect safety a few days ago. 



Dec. 23. Today I succeeded, after days of bargaining in securing for the Smithsonian 

 Institution an ivory instrument called a Tsao'**Pien such as was formerly held in 

 the hands of high civil officials when actually performing official duty. 



I ate dinner at the invitation of the head civil magistrate of this section, 

 and sat beside him in conversation for over an hour. 



k friend who has been in the district where Yang Fong Tsang is collecting 

 says Yang Fong Tsang has a good catch of specimens. 



Last night I ate supper with the leading military officer of this '^ej- 

 fecture. 



Dec. 25. Today Yang Fong Tsang, aborigine collector, arrived. He had many fine 

 mountain rats, but only two birds. He said he couldn't get any good powder. 

 He brought in snakes, frogs, insects, etc. I labelled all the mammals, from 

 134 to 164. I packed most of them into boxes. Yang brought a miao aborigine M 

 friend, whom I will measure. 



Box 219, Batskins and bones. Box 225, Insects #1.00 



Box 220, " " Box 226, snakes 



Box 221, « " " Box 227 Museum specimens 



Box 222, Bones (monkey) Box 228 Mammial skins. 



Box 223, Insects Box 229 Birdskins, etc. 



Box 224, Snakes & Insects 



Dec. 26. I have packed and labelled 19 boxes of specimens as described above. I 



have also reckoned with Yang Fong Tsang, the aborigine collector. The labelling 

 Of the specimens, packing, etc., has been a big job. Practically all my time 



