INDIA 189 
spicuous yellow eyes and by its sprightly appearance. It uses its 
curved bill, which is about an inch and a half long, effectively to 
catch spiders and insects, and to probe its favorite flowers—those 
of the plantain tree. 
So far, everything was progressing smoothly. Delys took ad- 
vantage of the hospitality of various planters and their wives, and 
went off occasionally to visit beauty spots by car, and to see the 
Himalayan snows from Darjeeling. 
Our corrugated-iron-roofed bungalow was situated in a bend on 
a hillside which was particularly steep. It was easy, in fact too 
easy, to descend a thousand feet through the forest without real- 
izing it until one had to make the journey back. 
After a long day of climbing in the invigorating mountain air, 
sleep was always welcome. This was usually undisturbed, but one 
night something of a gale arose, unknown to me until a sudden 
mighty gust sweeping round the bend in the hillside hit the 
bungalow with great force. I awoke suddenly to a noise I am 
never likely to hear again, and at the same time a shower of 
brickdust and mortar fell on my face. When I had recovered 
from the shock I jumped up and saw the stars shining above me, 
and realized that half the bungalow roof had disappeared in one 
piece. Delys was fortunately in the right half, but the birds, which 
were quartered in a closed-in part of the veranda, had a nasty 
shock, though none were injured. They were all in stout wooden 
traveling boxes which I found covered with bricks and mortar. 
The gust had hit the open veranda, thus finding a purchase under 
that part of the roof, and had lifted it up bodily, taking with it the 
rest of the roof and veranda supports that were embedded in 
cement, all in one. Part of the thunderous noise was all this 
crashing to earth, and fortunately it was just clear of the inner 
wall where I was sleeping. 
Time was ripe for our return to England as we planned to get 
home in June. Various people helped us to add to our collection 
in Calcutta, and through the Calcutta Zoo we collected three 
pandas that we had ordered on our way out. These are found at 
various altitudes in the Himalayas, but are commonest between 
eight and ten thousand feet. They remind one somewhat of rac- 
