116 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



lot of so-called Snow Pigeons (C, leuconota) . They were breeding 

 at 12,000 feet in clefts of the chasm down which the right branch 

 glacier stream flows, but out of reach. The Alpine flowers now are 

 in full bloom; a more enumeration of them would be too long (even 

 if I could name one-tenth of them); from every nook and corner of 

 the rock they peep, and on the mountain meadows the air is sweet 

 with perfumes. It is delightful to meet so many old friends among 

 the flowers. The forget-me-nots form mirages of blue, they grow so 

 thick in places. 



June ] 1th. — Started up ibex cliff at daybreak; got right on top and 

 along ridge to 15,600 feet, a beastly climb, along the face of a 

 precipice 1,000 feet sheer in parts; made me squirm to look down. 

 On the very top there were two little grey guinea-pig-like animals, 

 some species of Lagomys. Their home was in a crevice under some 

 icicles. Sterndale gives a number of species, but I am bringing 

 back one of this sort for the Bombay N. H. Society to identify.* 



June 2lst. — Goorkhot to Chougam. Shot a mountain fox (V. 

 montanus), or vixen rather. She was stalking some chukor when I 

 interposed. Came along Ruttu plain opposite Mir Mullick nullah, 

 a very fine valley, with pine forests and snowy peaks. Splendid view 

 of Nunga Parbut or Dayamur, nive canclidum from head to foot. 

 Qot to a hamlet and had the tents pitched just as heavy rain came 

 on. I have just been watching a curious veterinary operation. One 

 of the baggage ponies being footsore, the Bota ( = Tibetan, if 

 Bootan, Bodpa = Tibet, — &c), heated a large flat stone in the fire, 

 making it very hot. He then placed some green leaves (gathered 

 from a sort of Coleus apparently) on the stone, made the pony place 

 his fore-hoofs on the herbs and poured water over them), thus caus- 

 ing a cloud of vapour for some minutes, the pony standing quiet 

 and seeming to enjoy his vapour footbath. 



June 23rd. — In bed with a badly sprained ankle, which puts an 

 end to my shikar, I fear. Yesterday we had arranged to move the 

 lighter camp up the nullah, and a man was to come to show us the 

 place where a bear had been seen lately. At 4 p.m. a villager 

 rushed up to say that a snow bear was at that moment killing 

 the sheep on the hillside opposite Dirrell village. We were off 

 at once, and on reaching the huts could see the bear on the 

 grassy slope above some sheep and goats, while a herdsman was 



*Eoyle's Pika, or Boyle' a Mousvj-Hare, Lag amy s roylei. — Editok. 



