486 RESEARCH IN CHINA. 
RALLIDZ. 
Gallinula chloropus (Linna&tus). Moorhen. 
Fulica chloropus LINN@%uS: Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, p. 152, 1758 (‘‘Europa’’). 
The moorhen was observed, in September, on the marshes of the Sungari, and also 
in the swampy ‘‘bottom-lands”’ along the Huang-ho, in Shan-tung. A similar bird, not 
positively identified, was found at the great bend of the Huang-ho, in March. 
Amaurornis phcenicurus (PENNANT). White-breasted Water-hen. 
Gallinula phenicurus PENNANT: Indian Zoology, 1769, p. 10, plate 9 (India or Ceylon). 
A single individual of this species was seen in southern Shen-si. It was walking 
leisurely over the half-flooded rice-fields in one of the numerous mountain valleys north of 
the Han river. 
GRUIDZ. 
Grus grus (LINN&uS). Gray Crane. 
Ardea grus LINN&US: Syst. Nat., ed. 10, I, 141, 1758 (Sweden). 
Several small flocks of these cranes were observed on the plains of central Shan-si, 
during March. 
OTIDID. 
Otis dybowskii TaczANowsKI. Eastern Great Bustard. 
Otis dybowskii TACZANOWSKI: Journ. fiir Orn., 1874, 331 (Dauria). 
Bustards are still very common in the less densely populated portions of China, wher- 
ever there is sufficient open ground or plain. We saw them rarely in central Shan-tung 
and in the foothills west of Pau-ting-fu. They were observed in much larger numbers 
and more frequently in the uncultivated river flats of central Shan-si, particularly in the 
Hin-chou basin. If approached while feeding, the birds raise their heads and all stand 
motionless facing the intruder; if pressed farther they begin to walk quickly in the opposite 
direction and finally take flight in a body. 
CHARADRIID&., 
Microsarcops cinereus (BLYTH). Gray-headed Lapwing. 
Pluvianus cinereus BLYTH: Journal Asiatic Soc. of Bengal, x1, 587, 1842 (Calcutta). 
This large plover we saw along the lower course of the Fon-ho in Shan-si, during the 
month of March. In the next few weeks it was very common on the plain about Sian-fu. 
Single birds or pairs frequent the cultivated fields and dry stream courses, with much the 
same habits as our upland plover (Bartramia longicauda) of the United States. The 
note of this bird differs decidedly from the whistle-like calls of most of the plovers; it is 
loud and has almost a metallic ring. Judging from the anxiety displayed by the birds in 
those situations, we inferred that the nests are frequently placed in the dry bottoms of 
temporary water-courses. 
Egialitis dubia (Scopo!). Little Ringed Plover. 
Charadrius dubius Scopout: Del. Flore et Faune Insubr. 0, 93, 1786 (Luzon). 
This form was distinguished only in the valley of the Wei river, and along the tributa- 
ries which rise in the mountains to the south. During the month of April, these small 
plovers appear frequently, either singly or in small flocks, always resorting to the sandy 
banks of the rivers. 
Specimen No. 6040. Collected April 13, 1904, on the sandy bank of the Wei-ho, near 
Chu-chi-hién, Shen-si. 
