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Show 1870.] MR. R. SWINHOE ON CHINESE ZOOLOGY. 445 Swallows, H. gutturalis and H. daurica, were constantly seen ; but passing the Kerning Hill another species appeared on the scene. I detected it at once to be the Cotyle rupestris (Scop.). Its larger size, greater breadth of wing, and broader rump distinguished it, while flying, from the G. riparia. It occurred in small parties, perching and playing about the rocks. W e saw them several times during this expedition. Iris liver-brown ; wing extending half an inch beyond tail. Along the base of this hill-range the road reaches a gorge made hy the hills on the left advancing, with the river racing through between over rocks and shallows. Emerging from the gorge, a large hilly patch of sand occurred, sparsely sprinkled with coarse grass. It was riddled with holes; and little rat dike creatures were standing on hind legs, or popping their heads out of the holes, or gambolling after one another, just as I have since seen the prairie-dogs do on my railway transit across the continent of America. A shot fired among them, and all disappear like magic. They move fast, but awkwardly, somewhat like Guinea-pigs. Their burrows twist and turn in the descent, so that one cannot reach down with a stick. One came skeltering along, squeaking, with another in pursuit, on to a grass patch. I secured it. Its irides were brown. It appears to be the animal that M . Milne-Edwards has figured in his outcoming ' Recherches des Mammiferes ' as Spermolegus mongolicus, and that from Amoorland, figured in Middendorff's 'Sibirische Reise' as Arctomys (Sperm.) eversmanni (Brandt). M y specimen is light brown above, cream-colour below and along the sides. The tail is short, the first half inch of its length with short reddish hair, the rest with lengthened hair expanding into a spatula-shape, rufescent at its roots, a broad black ring on its centre, with broad creamy tips. Both Middendorff and Milne-Edwards in their figures convey a good idea of its appearance. A young specimen that I have from Peking has the upper parts much darker and ruddier, and the underparts buff-coloured ; tail rufous, with short hair throughout. M. Gill, the amateur naturalist attached to the French camp, procured this animal in 1860 near Peking. Over some tough stony hills we reach Heangshuypoo, twenty-three miles from our morning's start; and as there was still daylight, we pushed on over worn roads until, benighted, we were obliged to put up in a filthy cattle-stall at the dirty village of Neho-tsze, six miles further on. Dozens of carters and country roughs cooked, ate, smoked, and talked all night in our cabin, while a storm made the darkness horrible outside. W e managed to pig it somehow, and survived the night. Next morning (September 23) we trailed through the mud for the remaining five miles, and put up in an inn in the suburb outside tbe wall of Seuenhwafoo, the capital of this prefecture. It rained all day, and was cold and wretched. At this city the Roman Catholics have a prosperous mission, with European priests resident; and it was here that Pere David got a great many of his good things. The streets were under water; so we had much difficulty in wading through the town. In one of its thoroughfares some live birds were offered PROC ZOOL. Soc-1870, No. XXX. |