7 



I am purchasing insects from the boys by trading the Smithsonian postal 

 cards for insects. These postal cards actually pave money. 



The Roosevelt s made a good impression in this district, which cannot be said 

 of some travellors . 



The village of Mupin itself is not an excellent collecting spot. There are 

 better collecting spots between here and Yachow, west, and south of here, jfear 

 this village trees and vegetation are not over abundant, and much of it or many 

 of them do not attract birds and insects. 



The bearskin I bought would have gone to the Roosevelt brothers, for they 

 offered fifty dollars for a skin, but the ears began to rot, and were cut off, so 

 the owners sold the skin to me for six dollars. It is a genuine specimen. I am 

 numbering this specimen Mammal No. 256. 



June 50. Yang Fong Tsang brought in five birds. We have spent considerable 

 time making boxes for insects, taking care of the insects secured, etc. We will 

 have over six boxes of ^insects tonight. I was Invited to a feast by the magistrate, 

 to dine with the offic/als and dignitaries of Mupin. We secured a good number of 

 insects. I think there was a new kind of butterfly — as far as our collecting is 

 concerned. 



The road to Yao Chi is so difficult that it will take four days to get there 

 but we expect to start tomorrow. It is not very good collecting here at Mupin. 



Packed and nailed up six boxes of insects, boxes number 517-522. 



July 1. Th^road is so rough this side of Mupin, and so steep, that all loads 

 are carried on men's backs instead of on carrying-poles. w e travelled rapidly, 

 comparatively, but made a stage of only forty li. 



There were many odd insects. It seems to me that we are getting more strange 

 varieties than we did on the Songpan trip. However, so far we have seen no mammals 

 or strange birds. 



We are spending the night in a dirty farm-house, for there are no inns near 



here . 



It seems to me that we are getting some very interesting flies. 



Today we filled the ninth box of insects since leaving Sulfa, Box No. 525. 

 The altitude here is 4200 feet above sea level. 



July 2. Today we had a great deal of trouble with the military escort. The 

 first change of soldiers occurred about eight o'clock — at least, we arrived at 

 the place where the change should be made about that time. W e were to have ten 

 soldiers, but were given only three, and were delayed fully two hours. The guns 

 are puzzle-loading, and entirely innocent of any sights. The handles are rude, 

 home-made affairs. We now have six soldiers with such guns, one of the soldiers 

 being a boy about twelve years old. We were promised a bigger escort, but the 

 soldiers failed to show up. One well-armed man could easily defeatfdf the whole lot. 



