335 
between Takoo and Peking , North China. 
the foolish bird only flew a little distance and settled again, 
looking at me while I reloaded. I then shot it, and imagine 
my delight when I picked up what appeared to me to be a new 
species of Lark-Bunting. It was a female. I beat the ground 
over and over again, refusing several shots at hares that started 
from almost under my feet, knowing that the birds of this genus 
are seldom found alone, but could flush no other. I was obliged 
to give up the chase, and returned to my tent, only just in time to 
pack up and march. When arrived at Tientsin I found thousands 
of this bird on sale, plucked and trussed like larks. I begged 
the market-men to bring some with feathers on, and one morning, 
to my surprise, found a basketful of very fair specimens. I at 
once bought two dozen, and set to work skinning them. They 
measured on an average 6^ in., wing 3^, tail 2^ 0 . The 
natives called them Teay-cheo (Iron Bird), and explained to me 
that they were caught by the hand in springes baited with the 
small maggots found in decaying millet-stalks. My specimens 
correspond very nearly with the description of the Lapland Lark- 
Bunting found in Europe in f M'Gillivray’s British Birds/ though 
I should think it could hardly be the same species, as its exist¬ 
ence is not noted, to my knowledge, in Siberia*. 
61. Bed -Poll. Cannabina linaria (Linn.) . 
Seen in cages. 
62. Mealy Bed-Poll. Cannabina canescens (Gould). 
A pair were found in a cage at Pehtang, where the troops landed. 
63. Siskin. Fringilla spinus , L. 
This species was frequently seen in cages. I have received it 
before from Foochow, in Fuh-keen Province. 
64. Chinese Greenfinch. Fringilla sinica , L. 
Common both wild and in cages. 
65. Mountain Sparrow. Fringilla montana , L. 
Common. Takes the place of the domestic Sparrow. 
66. Mountain Finch. Fringilla montifringilla, L. 
Often offered for sale at Peking. I send a female procured there. 
* It is included in v. Schrenck’s work on the Birds of Amoorland (vol. i. 
p. 2/6 ).—Ed. 
