Mr. R. Swinhoe's Ornithological Notes made at Ghefoo. 425 
adiantifolia, or poplar, showed a large round mass of sticks, in 
which the thoughts of the Magpies were for the present concen¬ 
trated. But in these same uncouth masses another interest 
seemed also concerned, that of the Red-legged Falcon (. Erythro - 
pus amurensis) , several of which of both sexes were circling 
about, now fluttering excitedly with rapid beats of wing, now 
sailing steadily in long circles. The Red-legged Falcons had 
apparently not long arrived, and had not yet begun to lay; 
but the Magpies had in most cases callow young. I sent a 
sedan-coolie up a tree in the hack garden of a man's house in 
a village to examine a Magpie's nest. When he reached the 
nest I called out from below and asked him what he found 
there. He said five red ones. Thinking that he meant red 
eggs I was delighted at the prospect of Hawk's eggs, and told 
him to bring them down. He brought down one addled 
Magpie's egg and five wretched red sprawling young Magpies 
with eyes still unopened. The owner of the property remon¬ 
strated with me for robbing a Magpie's nest. He said we 
owed them protection, as they put such confidence in us. 
They call the Magpie here Ya-tcheo. Associated with the 
Magpie I saw small parties of the Blue Magpie ( Cyanopolius 
cyana) . A specimen of the male afterwards brought to me 
shows a race much larger, with longer tail, than that found 
about Shanghai. It differs, however, only in some trifling 
respects in colour and markings. Doves ( Turtur gelastes ) 
bustled off the branches as we advanced; a Woodpecker ( Picus 
mandarinus ) hammered away quite close to us; an Owl (. Ninox 
japonicus ) flew from tree to tree on our approach; and a Goat¬ 
sucker (Caprimulgus jot aka) showed itself lying lengthwise on 
a bough. Siskins and Mountain-Finches were twittering about 
in small parties; and Chinese birdcatchers, with their decoys 
in cage-traps, were lying in wait for them. From these we 
got a live Tree-Pipit ( Pipastes agilis) and a Pintail Snipe 
(Gallinago horsfieldi). Common and Daurian Swallows were 
about the villages; and occasionally a White-banded Swift 
[Cypselus pacificus) might be seen speeding along overhead. 
A few Stonechats ( Pratincola indica ) were about the standing 
corn. We met some Quail-catchers and brought home a 
