What a wealth of birds China possesses and how interesting their habits and migration, Your correspondent was intrigued to note that the golden orioles arrived at Anking (south of Shanghai) a day or two earlier than they were reported in Shanghai.
The cuckoo seems to have been especially strident this year but the male birds were here some da; before the "whinnying" cry of the female was heard. Just the opposite with the Paradise Flyeatchers, the female bird being days before the male's lovely whistle. T used to think that the male flycatchers travelled in pairs, the note of the call changed 50 Jabruptly and carried on in a different key, but of course this is the call of one bird, Another idea which might be of interest along the lines of bird migration would be to ascertain the dates that certain birds leave' this, part of China after nesting here. For ya stance, the sound of the cuckoo here heard no longer-—not for ten days 'oF more, but the golden orioles are much in evidence. Only. yesterday I saw two Paradise" Flycatcher /Medglings and this morning heard the male's whistle as well as the female's A bird seen for the first time this year is the white checked drongo. The ordinary black drongo has been here off and on for several years. This year the European cuckoo's call was heard moar Anking but the bird of seen. The hoopoe is seen here occasionally. One winter one bird was around nearly the whole winter, I wonder if it be true that there are Ino shrikes around Anking. I have yet to identify one.
Some years ago we had a bird feeding lable built according to the specifications in "Shanghai Birds" [but the only birds who come to enjoy the various foods put there are the sparrows, of which we have droves and which soon leave nothing for the other attractive birds. Perhaps the author of "A Country Diary" has remedies to sungest.
Wisely, the Governor would not aflow them to come mide. but the trowels went out to see the show, No foreigner ought over 10 miss sooing tone of these "here" ands of men, faces covered, with altornallng white fed-and blake lines, with elaborate Costumes "and henddrestes, ing rbarie dances, tome on il Sua coromonia umbrellas and gay ban= orgy and Surrounding it all, the hover ceasing "pulsation" ofthe gong amd drum, "One. is carried back the beginning of the vase andthe ila and weird picture Is never to 'The city people enjoyed the country ils ko much ind believe 50 their ofeaey that they have persuade tithe authorities fo allow these dol processions in the city on the 15, 10 trid T2, of the th. moon: and. now the eity'is ait anag' with extensive preparing one. Por example, the tr ape trades Eurpenters,"brieklayers and" atone: fmatons. consider that. tgy spring {rom one root and worship the same tonto one live The same peremiths Also each section of the ies (0 the gold, silver and cope
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Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.