CHAPTER XX.
From Pushut to Kettore and Barowl in Kaffiristan, and return to Pushut and Cabul.
February 20th.—Fumaria found.
23rd.—Cloudy, threatening rain. Swallows coming in, also Fringillaria, with blackish cheek-streaks, also Pyrgita alia, starlings uncommon up to this day about the site of the camp, where there is much straw, and camels are lying. Flocks of rooks, genuine rooks, flocks of daws, minas, pigeons, and many carrion crows have been daily resorting to camp, all very wild from being constantly fired at, as in this country every man almost has a matchlock. No Gypaëtos seen for several days.
26th.—Fine weather after two days uncertain, in which the large-headed lark has just come in abundance, this and the English one frequent fields; the crystal one is found almost exclusively on certain stony cultivated places: swallows have likewise arrived with many wild fowl. Four raptorial birds are now seen about this, or rather three, for Gypaëtos has gone, viz. the common kite, or one which looks much like it, a beautiful white slaty-blue and black harrier, at least it comes about constantly, and looks much like an Indian species, and much like one I shot high up in Bootan, together with a large blackish and white one, with a distinct collar. The fishing hawk, I saw it yesterday catch a large fish, making a strong rapid plunge boldly into the water, and emerging again from it without much difficulty; its habits except while fishing, are very sedentary, and it seems to prefer one spot, viz. the top of some particular tree, near perhaps its favourite feeding place.
27th.—Another new bird has come in. A Fringillina, with curious Flycatcher habits, I have only seen two individuals, they perch towards the top of trees, and thence sally out after winged insects. I examined the contents of its stomach, and found only seeds, gravel, and soft insects.
The sun is increasing wonderfully in power, but the trees are not as yet budded. Shrubby Polygoneæ, with flagellate branches and leaves, in which the petiole is as much developed as the lamina, form a curious feature of Affghan Flora; Euphorbia linifolia common, the herbaceous one in profusion.
28th.—Spring coming on rapidly, snow not within 2,000 feet of where it was twenty days back, and the sun oppressively hot; winged ants in abundance: whenever this happens it proves the perfection of the crows, which are on all such occasions to be seen acting the part of flycatchers in addition to their various other callings, soaring and sweeping round after these insects, but not returning as Merops or real flycatchers to a fixed station. I have hitherto seen only the jackdaws at this spot in Calcutta, but here the real crow mingles in it.
In Calcutta, the common kite often acts a similar part, but catches only with its feet.
A small kingfisher is to be found here rarely, it is much like the Indian blue and reddish one, the white and black kingfisher is not seen here, although found at Jallalabad.