230 AFOOT THROUGH THE 



There are many varieties of duck at different seasons 

 and in varying numbers. The mallard, shoveller, 

 brahminy, and blue-winged teal are not very common, 

 but the red-crested pochard (Branta rufina), the 

 anthyanyroca, the "harwat" of the natives, and the 

 gadwall are common, also the beautiful pintail (Dafila 

 acuta) towards February, when they pause on their way 

 north from India and settle on the tanks and ponds. 

 Large quantities of the grey goose " aus," as the 

 Kashmirians call them are very common, but are not 

 of large size. Other geese are found. 



These are the chief game birds, and I must 

 ask pardon for treating of them in so summary 

 and dull a manner, but my interest in Kashmir 

 was not with sport, but with nature at peace, 

 and I had few or no means of identifying the 

 many beautiful birds I saw or heard, golden orioles, 

 kingfishers, and such obvious varieties excepted. But 

 as I wish to place as many as possible of the attractive 

 sides of this lovely valley before the reader, I have given 

 this rough list of game birds and " sporting bastes " ! 



