Birds, a black and white Erythaca, eyes fuscous-brown; the wood pigeon; a jay, which is a beautiful bird, irides light brown; a small woodpecker, with a greenish subcrest; the Parus; a thrush not obtained; Parus cærulens; a pretty red-crowned small Fringilla, eyes light brown; common crow, chakor, bearded vulture; a wren, not obtained, with irides light brown, but with exactly the manners of Troglodytis. Chamærops, Maizurrye used for netting ropes for bedsteads, Viscum of Baloot, used for food of domestic animals.
Wild goats, sheep, an ass-like animal (Goomasht), and a fox which is handsome, of large size, and common.
8th.—Returned.
The Kafirs have a game exactly the same as the English leap-frog, called by them Shutruck. They were very much astonished at my understanding it. They are miserable marksmen, and were even at small distances unable to strike a large object, as for instance a hat at twenty yards, although offered a handsome reward; nor can they shoot at all at long distances. They are in this respect quite below Khasyas and Booteas.
March 9th.—Yesterday evening a female of Lophophorus, was brought in, and a beautiful pheasant, having claret-coloured neck. Body otherwise fuscous and blackish-brown, having a blackish-green head, white cheeks and fine transverse crest, as large as a middle-sized fowl. Apparently a new subgenus of Phasianus.
11th.—Swallows have now come in here. They are apparently a different species from the Pushut kind.
12th.—The large-headed lark has also come in, so that there is a difference of twelve or fourteen days between this part of the country and Pushut, where it was first seen, although this is only 500 feet higher, and about thirteen miles farther north.
The universality of the common crow is curious, especially when contrasted with the circumscribed locality of Jackdaws. The Indian Jackdaw is never found in hills.
A common plover was brought in yesterday, the wing quills had been taken out, and its gestures on being liberated were most absurd, and although originating from fright, were much allied to pride, its head reclining on its neck, the latter curved, and the feet lifted high into a stately walk, while the crest was disposed in a most supercilious manner.