Page:Mongolia, the Tangut country, and the solitudes of northern Tibet vol 1 (1876).djvu/237

  rupestris); the mountain pipit (Anthus rosaceus) inhabits the alpine meadows. In the tree belt several of the small warblers make their appearance; the redstart (Ruticilla aurorea), the bunting (Emberiza sp.), the nut-hatch (Sitta sinensis), the wren (Troglodytes sp.) the greater titmouse (Pœcile cincta ), Phyllopneuste superciliosus, Phyllopneuste sp., Pterorhinus Davidii, Drymœca extensicauda; woodpeckers (Picus sp., Picas martius rare) tap the trees, pheasants (Phasianus torquatus) call morning and evening, and at sunset the monotonous hooting of the Japanese owl (Caprimulgus Jotaca), called in Siberia 'the blacksmith,' resounds on all sides. Below the tree-belt in the dry ravines and among the rocks are found the stone thrush (Petrocincla saxatilis), the stonechat (Saxicola Isabellina), the hoopoe (Upupa epops), the grey and rock partridge (Perdix barbata, P. chukor), the latter also inhabiting the alpine zone, and attracting attention by its noisy and almost incessant clucking.

The striking contrast between the Munni-ula and the other ranges of South-eastern Mongolia has given rise to a Mongol tradition concerning their origin, according to which in times long past, a thousand years ago or more, there lived a Kutukhtu at Peking, who in spite of his divine origin led such an ungodly life that he was arrested and put into prison by order of the Emperor. Indignant at such harsh treatment, the holy man caused an enormous bird to