408 
Staff-Surg. K. H. Jones on Birds observed 
completed; at the same time I do not think that H. gutturalis 
had eggs ; incubation, I am sure, had not commenced. 
Herring-Gulls, probably Larus vega, were fairly numerous 
on the arm of the sea mentioned above. 
June 2nd. —To-day the line ran through Manchuria, and 
the character of the country changed considerably, being 
hilly and well wooded, chiefly with silver-birch trees and firs, 
whilst rivers, though plentiful, were rather small and culti¬ 
vation was scarce. Both species of Swallows were again 
seen, but only at the stations on the line. Sparrows were 
visible, but in much smaller numbers than yesterday. 
The Daurian Jackdaw ( Corvus dauricus) put in its first 
appearance to-day, but I only saw one or two individuals. 
Carrion-Crows ( Corvus cor one) were abundant, of Magpies 
(Picus caudata ) there was a fair sprinkling, and I saw a 
few Streak-eyed Wagtails ( Motacilla ocularis ). Of Kites 
I saw only one, Milvus melanotis, but of Buzzards I observed 
several, while in some places Marsh-Harriers were quite 
numerous. Kestrels and Sparrow-Hawks were noticed, but 
not in any numbers. 
The Eastern Bing-Dove (Turtur orientalis ) was seen 
occasionally; the birds were always in pairs. In the late 
afternoon we ran into the large well-cultivated plain in 
which stands the town of Harbin. Here Carrion-Crows 
began to be scarce and the Eastern Rook ( C . pastinator) put 
in its first appearance. The Rooks were very numerous, while 
their nests were observed on many of the trees near the line 
and round the houses of the natives ; but I saw nothing at 
all like a rookery, such as we know at home, perhaps from 
the want of sufficient trees growing together in one place. 
Magpies also increased considerably in numbers in this part 
of the country, but I did not see many of their nests. 
June 3rd. —In the morning we found ourselves in a rolling 
grassy country, beautifully green, but with very few trees, 
and apparently almost uninhabited. Here I saw a few 
Daurian Starlings ( Sturnia sturnina), but only near the 
stations, and here also I first noticed the Daurian Stonechats 
(.Pratincola maura) in great numbers and evidently breeding. 
