THE TERAI. 117 



forest. As I remounted the camel, and bumped away on it 

 back to camp, deep were my regrets at not having chanced a 

 shot with the cartridge. 



Along the outskirts of the forest, and between it and the 

 cultivated plains, lies an extensive open tract of long grass and 

 swamp. Here, besides other large and small game, florikens 

 may be found in considerable numbers. But as that part of 

 the Terai is, during the fall of the year, generally considered 

 the worst for malaria (called " tiwul " by the natives), we made 

 a long day's march across this deadly belt and encamped 

 beyond it ; consequently, I was unable then to have a chance 

 at these beautiful game-birds. 



As my purpose in these pages is to confine myself to remi- 

 niscences of the pursuit of Himalayan game, I merely touch 

 incidentally on the wild sports of other parts of India, con- 

 cerning which, my experiences having been limited, I do not 

 pretend to be an authority. With respect, therefore, to the 

 shooting I had along our line of march, suffice it to say I got 

 fair sport at antelopes, "neelghai," and sometimes gazelles, or 

 " chinkara " as they are called, besides at many varieties of 

 wild- fowl, snipe, and other small game. 



The neelghai (Portax pictus), or " blue-bull," as the male 

 is termed from his slaty -grey colour, and short, stout, bo vine- 

 like horns, gives but poor sport, except perhaps when he is 

 ridden after and speared; for although he is a big clumsy 

 brute, he is fleet enough to keep a horse going pretty fast to 

 overtake him, sometimes even when wounded. 



The little "chinkara" (Gazella Benncttii) which, from being 

 generally found among broken ground and ravines, is com- 

 monly called " ravine deer " affords excellent stalking, though 

 it seems almost a pity to shoot such graceful little creatures. 

 They are so delicate in form, and their colour a brownish 

 fawn so much resembles the ground they usually frequent, 

 that they look more like little phantoms than realities as they 

 sometimes suddenly appear and skim away before you, and 



