ound
to give back the animal and accept the loss. However, a half dozen
hard-riding Mongol soldiers at once took up the trail of the lama,
and the chances are that there will be one less thieving priest
before the incident is closed.

It is interesting to note how a similarity of conditions in western
America and in Mongolia has developed exactly the same attitude of
mutual protection in regard to horses. In both countries
horse-stealing is considered to be one of the worst crimes. It is
punishable by death in Mongolia or, what is infinitely worse, by a
life in one of the prison coffins. Moreover, the spirit of mutual
assistance is carried further, and several times during the summer
when our ponies had strayed miles from the tents they were brought
in by passing Mongols, or we were told where they could be found.

Our camp the second night was on a beautiful, grassy plateau beside
a tiny stream, a tributary of the river. We put out a line of traps
for small mammals, but in the morning were disappointed to find only
three meadow mice (_Microtus_). There were no fresh signs of
marmots, hares, or other animals along the river, and I began to
suspect what eventually proved to be true, viz., that the valley was
a favorite winter camping ground for Mongols, and that all the game
had been killed or driven far away. Indeed, we had hardly been
beyond sight of a _yurt_ during the entire two days, and great
flocks of sheep and goats were feeding on every grassy meadow.

But the Mongols considered cartridges too precious to waste on birds
and we saw many different species. The demoiselle cranes were
performing their mating dances all about us, and while one was
chasing a magpie it made the most amusing spectacle, as it hopped
and flapped after the little black and white bird which kept just
out of reach.

Mongolian skylarks were continually jumping out of the grass from
almost under our horses' feet to soar about our heads, flooding the
air with song. Along the sand banks of the river we saw many flocks
of swan geese (_Cygnopsis cygnoides_). They are splendid fellows
with a broad, brown band down the back of the neck, and are
especially interesting as being the ancestors of the Chinese
domestic geese. They were not afraid of horses, but left immediately
if a man on foot approached. I killed half a dozen by slipping off
my pony, when about two hundred yards away, and walking behind the
horses while Yvette rode boldly toward t