In winter from beyond the Tian Shan visitors from the north appear in Kashgar, geese, duck, snipe, and other birds. There are not very many of them, as the main line of bird migration from Siberia passes further to the east, but still there are plenty of birds in the neighbourhood of Kashgar by the unfrozen streams and warm springs. The appearance of kites, Milvus govinda, Sykes, poised in the blue sky of Kashgaria and their penetrating, shattering cry was a sure sign of the first hot weather. Both the Kashgar Sarts and the Chinese are fond of birds; their children leave the nests alone, so consequently the village gardens have their own special fauna. The Kashgar quail appears to be a distinct species. The chukar varies too over the area, and different forms are recognized in Yarkand and in Ladak.