FORESTS OF THE BHABAR AND FOOT-HILLS 209 



slopes across the stream, which has sunk into the gravelly 

 soil and left its bed a channel of dry stones. The spaniels 

 put up a few plains partridge* at the edge of a circular 

 threshing-floor, where the natives are busy driving oxen 

 round on the com, laid on the smooth, hard floor in true 

 Biblical pattern. Other natives are winnowing, simply 

 dropping the barley on the heap from a sieve, while the 

 wind of the ' Rani's fan ' carries away the light chaff. 

 The dogs are busy amongst some rocks where wild 

 thistles grow, and put up a bevy of button quails,f which 

 buzz up in a great hurry in different directions, fanning 

 out as they fly. These are much smaller than the ordinary 

 quail, and are very plump, round little birds, but hard 

 to knock over, as they often seem to fly through the shot 

 in safety. Going higher up the hill and on to flats rising 

 in steps, we meet more black partridge and pea-fowl, and 

 work up the valley, where many low-growing shrubs give 

 shelter for pheasants to roost and pick under their stems. 

 A flock of kalijj pheasants have been drinking at the 

 stream, and the dogs follow their scent. Soon we hear 

 the squeak, squeak, or piping call peculiar to these pretty 

 silver-necked birds, as they are flushed and scatter, giving 

 a shot or two and fluttering into the trees. The hens are 

 quiet, brown-plumaged birds with short tails, and do not 

 fly freely, but are fat and undeniably good eating. There 

 is also the peura partridge, which lives in the thicket and 

 is almost impossible to get a shot at. Its call is a very 

 soft low whistle, repeated about ten times, quicker and 

 higher each note. 



No one can fail to notice the beautiful Paradise fly- 

 catcher,§ flitting from tree to tree in small troops, the 



* Francolinus Pondicherianus (titar). 



+ Turnix Tancki. 



\ Ge7inceus albocristatiis. 



§ Terpsichore paradtsi, according to Blanford. 



14 



