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Non-toxic. Oviparous.

Yugou (Kingfisher) primarily treats bone splinters and fish bones embedded in flesh that cannot be removed, especially when pain is severe. Burn it until black, grind into powder, and take in one dose; or boil to extract juice and drink, which is also effective. [Recorded by Mingyi (Famous Physicians). Note: *Erya* states: "(Pronounced 'li ji') Tiangou (Heavenly Dog). It builds nests in the earth; people in Jiangdong call it Shuigou (Water Dog). *Piya* states: This bird knows when the weather will rain. Its body is small, not filling a hand, resembling a swallow, with dark greenish-blue plumage, long beak, and short tail. It hides in the bends of streams, just as pheasants stay within their territory; although it can fly, it does not cross boundaries. In spring, it first builds a nest high up. After laying eggs, it loves them and lowers the nest slightly to prevent falling. When chicks grow feathers, it loves them more and lowers the nest further. It displays its plumage, bathing daily in clear waters, vibrant and lovely. Some call it Feicui (Kingfisher), named "Fei" initially and "Cui" later. Also said: Males are "Fei", females are "Cui". Because it is good at catching fish, it is called Yushi (Fish Master) or Yuhu (Fish Tiger). The smaller ones are called Cuibi. Now, artisans use it for women's facial ornaments. Another insect in the Entomology section is also called Yuhu but cannot fly and differs significantly in form and substance.] [Names] Yuhu, Yushi, Tiangou, Shuigou, Cuibi, Yu. [Origin] Produced in Nanhai and Jiangdong; now common in water marshes. [Season] Grows in spring and summer; harvesting has no fixed time. [Color] Emerald green. [Taste] Salty. [Nature] Neutral, soft. [Qi/Taste] Taste stronger than Qi; Yang within Yin. [Odor] Fishy. [Processing] Burn to black and grind to powder, or boil for juice.

Yu (Snipe). Note: Su Song says it resembles the struggle between a clam and a snipe. According to observation: Yu resembles a quail, with a long beak and grayish color, making "yu-yu" sounds in mud flats. People catch and eat it; the taste is like quail, with no other special efficacy. Su Gong says it resembles the clam-snipe struggle. New notes say using it tonifies deficiency and is very warming. Villagers say it transforms from field frogs and is related to quails. ○ Chan (Cicada). Note: Tao Hongjing refers to sparrow-like cicadas. Fan Xingzhun notes: These are small birds, similar to quails, also known as Zhengzhu. Note in *Liji* identifies it as a specific bird, and another note calls it a mother bird. *Zhuangzi* mentions red cicadas; humans eating them have no special effect. ○ Yangwu (Sun Crow) & Guan (Stork). Note: Tao Hongjing says Yangwu is the stork. However, these two do not resemble the Sun Crow at all. Yangwu has a black body, long neck, and is small/white. Guan's beak treats sores caused by venomous insect bites; burn to powder and take with wine. Also called Yangya, produced in Jianzhou. ○ Fenghuang Tai (Phoenix Platform/Foot). Taste: Pungent, Neutral. Non-toxic. Treats exhaustion, accumulated blood, promotes blood circulation, and calms the spirit. *Yizhi* records: For fright, epilepsy, chicken epilepsy, fever, and manic wandering, grind with water and take. This object comes from under the phoenix's foot, resembling white stone. Although the phoenix is a spiritual bird that occasionally appears, waiting for its resting place and digging 2-3 feet deep yields round, egg-white-like stones. Phoenixes do not perch on non-wutong trees nor eat bamboo seeds; how could they come near the ground? Descending to dig implies natural principles beyond human understanding. Places with phoenixes may not have bamboo, and places with bamboo may not have phoenixes. This might be a product of Linfeng Zhou in various countries, similar to the "Reconnecting Glue" presented in Han times, made from boiled phoenix marrow. What is strange about this? Nowadays, roosters also produce white platforms like hard eggs, containing white but no yolk, said to be laid by male chickens, named Fugong Tai. In *Benjing*, "ji bai tuo tuo" (chicken white sacs); "tuo" resembles "tai", likely a copying error by later generations. Records state nations in other heavens eat phoenix eggs, just as locals here eat chicken eggs. ○ Zhu Niao (Bird treating stream toxins). Treats stream toxins, sand lice, water bows, archers, guo, duanhu, and shrimp-whisker diseases. Bringing the bird near the patient allows it to peck the lesion; debris caught underneath contains sand/gravel. This sand is the projectile used by the sand-shooting insect, essentially the insect's arrow. Alternatively, burn its feces and feathers to ash and ingest. Or cage the bird near the patient to attract qi via resonance. These birds arise in mountainous toxic water areas, likely due to consuming poisonous insects. The aforementioned diseases are similar, caused by insects shooting sand/shadows in mountains and rivers. Even in dry areas, patients should beware. At night, rubbing the body reveals spicy/painful spots; inspect closely for needle-head-sized red dots. Pinch them immediately, insert taro leaf into the flesh to scrape, checking for fine sand/gravel. Seal the wound with garlic paste; otherwise, chills/fever will follow, and the wound will deepen. Shrimp-whisker sores are most common in Guiling; only 1-2 out of 10 survive unless detected early. Use taro grass, large taro, or sugarcane leaves bent into hooks to insert deeply into the flesh, removing roots, then seal with garlic. Within moments, the root may penetrate to the bone. Extraction resembles a shrimp whisker. The sore resembles a carbuncle; those in hidden areas are most malignant. The other six diseases may mimic malaria or epidemic fevers, presenting with chills/fever, sores, or no sores. The key is expelling sand/gravel; delay makes treatment difficult. Unlike shrimp-whisker or Zhu Niao cases. Zhu Niao resembles a duck but larger, with red eyes and spotted beaks, inhabiting mountain streams. ○ Qiaofu Niao (Weaver Bird). Treats women swallowing foreign objects. Eggs are smaller than sparrows; nests are built in forests/marshes, resembling small pouches. Burning the nest and fumigating women's hands was believed to enhance dexterity. *Erya* states Taochong is Jiaoliao; notes identify it as Taoque, commonly called Qiaofu Niao. ○ Yingji (Hero Chicken). Taste: Sweet, Warm. Non-toxic. Benefits Yang channels, tonifies deficiency, promotes robustness and luster, improves appetite, prevents cold ailments, maintains solid Qi without causing disease. Produced in Zezhou where quartz exists; feeds on crushed quartz, resulting in heat-generating bodies, lack of feathers, and short flight range. Humans consume it to gain its "Ying" (essence/quartz) benefits. Resembles pheasants with short tails and reddish abdominal feathers; intestines contain crushed quartz fragments. Most birds digest ingested stones completely without excretion. Modern practice feeds chickens quartz powder to lay eggs, but Yingji is superior. ○ Tuoniao Shi (Ostrich Feces). Non-toxic. Treats iron weapons/knives penetrating flesh; ingestion causes immediate dissolution of metal. Bird resembles a camel, native to Western Regions, feeds on iron. During Yonghui era, Tokhara presented such birds, 7 chi tall, camel-like, flapping wings while walking, capable of eating iron. ○ Zhu Shuiniao (Water Bird suppressing fire). Kept in homes to ward off fires. Resembles ducks, green plumage, tame and lingering. Native to southern marshes. *Erya* states (pronounced 'jian'); keeping it wards off fire. *Bowuzhi* states it nests in high trees, lays eggs in holes, and carries its mother by the wing to fly down.