THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA. 897 



vegetation -was most luxurious and massive; magnificent forest 

 trees reared their heads a hxmdred feet above the scrub and 

 jnngle which grew below them, bxit, as one ascended above 

 4,000 feet, the vegetation began to get more scanty, and from 

 5,000 feet upwards, stunted oaks seldom more than oO feet 

 high, formed the principal part of the forest. 



" Even here, however, the jungle was most lovely, for every 

 tree-trunk and ever}^ swaying bough was wreathed with 

 masses of moss, amongst which nestled orchids of all kinds and 

 colours. That beautiful scented orchid, the white snowdrop- 

 like G(Telogt/ne, filled the air with its odour, and on every side 

 the Dendrohium chri/sotoxam and densijlorum showed their 

 masses of yellow blossom ao-ainst the vivid gfreen moss. Nor 

 was the uudergrowth unworthy of the rest of the forest. Here 

 and there Jasmine flowered and clambered in wild profusion ; 

 here and there were banks of bracken, looking as if imported 

 froiu some Welsh mountain-side, and everywhere were glades 

 of various begonias with their unilti-coloured foliage and 

 flowers, and ferns of all kinds, from the most delicate trailing 

 maidenhair to palm fei-ns as tall as the oaks around them. 



" High u]^ near the crests of one of these mountains ran a 

 tiny rill, tinkling and trickling amongst the pebbles of soil laid 

 bare during lieavy rains, until with many others of its meri-y 

 brethren it lost its identity in the rivers below. 



" At the edge of this little streamlet I lay down amongst 

 the moss and ferns prepared to watch whatsoever ^aiimal life 

 might decide to show itself. 



" Birds of all kinds were numerous and bold, taking little 

 notice of the dull clad human watcher. A bevy of Yellow- 

 throated Minivets flew from tree to tree ; the orange and grey 

 males constantly uttering their musical notes, as they flitted 

 along in their follow-my-leader style from one fine field of 

 insect game to another. A pair of Scaly-breasted Wrens 

 bustled about over rt fallen log, rather shy at first and resenting 

 my presence with shrill cries, but soon becoming reconciled, 

 and once more busy collecting material for their nest, hangin 

 amongst the moss on a tree near by. Then a flash of trans 

 parent pink, yellow and gvoy, gliding from one tree-trunk to 

 another, told me of the flight of one of the tiny flying lizards, 

 and almost urged me to rise and catch it — if I could — but 

 laziness triumphed and I remained on my mossy bed. I had 

 lain there about an hour, and was almost dozing, lulled by the 

 soft breeze and the hixm of cicadae and grasshoppers, when a 

 chuckling call and a scratching among the undergrowth across 

 the stream recalled me to my senses. At first I credited this 

 call to a Horsfield's Kalij Phe.isnnt. though thppe are rare at 



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