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[[ top of page]] - 2 - Feb. 7. Went to Beh Son Chi. Killed eight birds of which two were ruined. Feb. 8. [[handwritten Bien, left margin]] Went to Ngan [[underline]] Biln. [[/underline]] Secured only a few shrimp. Feb. 9. Returned to Suifu. Saw a Chinese straw hut catch fire and quickly burn up. It was an opium den. Feb. 11. Rumors say that civil war is certain to break out soon in Szechuan. If it does, it will bring great suffering to the Szechuan people. Kerosene in Suifu has now gone up to $30.00 a case, while it use to be $8.00. That will to some extent handicap us in the securing of nigh moths. During the next few days I am going to give special training in skinning and taking care of mammals and birds to Chen Gih Uen, the netter. Then I can send him on trips, and he can both trap and net, besides using the lantern at night. The aborigine collect Yang Fong Shan ought to be in with his winter catch soon. He needs more training in order to do better work in skinning birds and mammals. Feb. 12. Spent several hours teaching netter Chen Gh Uen to skin and take care of mammals. Secured mammals No. 50, 51, 52. I want to train him so that he can make excursions for himself, and do his own skinning. Besides I do not want to be too dependent on the skinner, Ho, who might become sick or quit work. I want to five the aborigine Yang Fong Tsang better training, for I am sure that his skinning is still imperfect. I am occasionally securing fish and fixing them in formalin. Feb. 13. Chen Gih Uen got badly chilled while practicing on a bird. He skinned the bird nicely, but later had to go to bed for the day, with a headache. Feb. 14. Chen Gih Uen went to the nearby mountains to trap mammals. It is reported that packages can not be forwarded properly by mail now, because of the disturbed conditions in the Yangtse Gorges. I can go on collecting and await the time when the specimens can be forwarded. Feb. 15. Mammals No. 53, 54, 55. The collector, Chen Gih Uen came in with three wild mice or rats. One was very large. Chen caught them on a steep [[end of page]]