canary pai yen 白燕; the quail, an shun 鵪鶉; monkeys hou tzŭ, 猴子 which are said to be better than dogs as a protection against thieves; rabbits t‘u tzŭ 兔子, generally in narrow-necked crocks sunk in the ground; pigeons ko-tzŭ 鴿子, some of the best carriers returning home from 1000 li or more; they are often sold, and as they always go home again good profit is made; white mice which drive little wheels in their cages; stove crickets, tsao chi-tzŭ 竈鷄子; and 'ocean insects,' yang ch‘ung 洋蟲, which are said to cure tuberculosis. I do not know what these insects really are.
The Chinese are great bird-fanciers and pet-keepers, and domesticate many birds besides those above mentioned. Lotteries, smoking, snuffing, etc., are other amusements; it is a nation of smokers. Probably the dismal homes make the people love the pipe, and the crudeness of medical science makes them take to opium.
Riddles and Ditties. 謎子，歌兒 mi tzŭ, ko êrh.
青幽幽 黑洞洞 十個牯牛拉不動
Of a dark green, in a black cave, which ten oxen cannot move, What is it? (A well.)
千節節 萬節節 千年萬年不落葉
With a thousand joints, even ten thousand joints. For a thousand or ten thousand years it does not lose its leaves. (The bamboo.)
金篼篼 銀絲絲 一搥打開四姊妹
A golden and silver floss: one stroke of the hammer and it becomes four sisters. (A walnut.)
十姊妹 同路耍 各人頭上頂片瓦
Ten little sisters went out for a walk,
On the crown of each a tile is fixed. (The fingers.)
頭戴紅頂子 身穿白袍子 走路很斯文 説話像蠻子
On his head he wears a red button, his body is clothed with a white robe, his walk is like an elegant scholar's, but his talk is like a barbarian's. (The goose.)
各家窩頭一個蕩 一根白蛇在裏頭放 要死要死又掇他一棒
In each family niche there is a pool, in which a pure
