THE GUN AT HOME AND ABROAD 
It was dark brown in colour, with a light patch on the withers and neck. 
A variety of the Himalayan black bear ( Ursus torquatus) is found in 
Szechuan, and Mr Lydekker has distinguished another species shot by 
Major Malcolm M’Neill near Tachienlu in 1908 as U. t. macneilli. This 
bear is not uncommon in Western China and extends to North-Western 
Hupeh, and is fairly plentiful to the north between Singpan and Lungan-fu. 
Around Wa-shan and Litang it is common. The altitude at which it is 
found varies from 5,000 feet to about 10,000 feet. Starchy roots and fruits 
are its principal food. 
Wolves are by no means uncommon in Central China and are plentiful 
on the grass lands of the Tibetan border. I saw a good many, particularly 
when crossing Sinkiang and the Gobi Desert, but never got a shot at one. 
Wild dogs (native name, Tsai-kou , or Tsai-gho) are found in Western 
Szechuan and Kansu and quickly clear a district of game. They are rather 
larger than a fox, lankier, and rufous -grey in colour. 
Foxes, racoon dogs, badgers, otters (these are used at Ichang for catch- 
ing fish), marmots, and a variety of small fur-bearing animals are found 
throughout China, including the golden -haired monkey ( Rhinopithecus 
roxellance ), fairly common in certain districts. As these, however, do not 
properly come under the designation of game animals, I will say no more 
about them. 
The Takin ( Budorcas ; native name in Shensi and Kansu, Panyang; 
Szechuan, Yienu , or Yehniu). Several species are distinguished. With the 
typical form Budorcas taxicolor we have no concern, as it comes from Assam 
and Bhotan. Budorcas bedfordi , the variety found in Shensi, inhabits the 
Tsinling Minshan ranges, a practically continuous mountain chain running 
due east and west, from Chow-chih in the east to Li-hsien in the west. 
Due west of the westernmost extremity of the Tsinling Mountains there 
appears to be a gap, the Peshui River, as the upper reaches of the Kialing 
are called, being their boundary in this direction. They are said, though 
they have never been shot here by Europeans, to exist in the mountains of 
Northern Shansi, due west of Peking. Possibly these may be a distinct 
variety. They are known also in the neighbourhood of Piekou in Southern 
Kansu, and it is not unreasonable to suggest that this variety may be 
found eventually to be an intermediate type between B. bedfordi and B. 
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