SHOOTING SEASON IN BENGAL. 19 



lands as still remain moist round the margins of lakes, or in 

 fields of soft mud, in which grow the cold weather crops of 

 rice irrigated from their waters. Towards the end of this 

 month (March) the new grass springs up rich and strong 

 under the influence of the hot sun, and the rain which has 

 fallen with the first nor'- westers of the year. Geese and some 

 ducks begin their migrations northwards to cooler climes, as 

 do at this time the members of the several Governments, the 

 Secretaries, and the heads and tails of departments ; the 

 west wind blows hot and strong during the day-time, and 

 those who are left in the plains to carry on their duties, 

 private or official, begin to bewail their fate with good 

 reason. 



The serious business of the sportsman, the pursuit of the 

 nobler beasts, now commences in earnest, and is carried on 

 through the scorching days of April and May ; in the grass 

 and reed jungles of Purneah, Malclah, Dinagepoor, and 

 Mymensingh, and along the foot of the mountains from 

 Julpigoree to Assam ; among the rocks of Manbhoom, and 

 the bison-haunted hill-sides of the southern parts of Chota 

 Nagpoor, and the " tributary mehals " of Orissa. 



By the middle of April the migrating wild-fowl have all 

 left, except a few pairs of the ruddy sheldrakes, blue-winged 

 teal, and some snipe, although individuals of the last may be 

 met with as late as the 10th or 15th May. These are, how- 

 ever, birds injured in some way, and unable or unwilling to 

 commence the long flight northwards, or confirmed old 

 bachelors for whom conjugal joys have no attraction. Game 

 birds have commenced nesting in April ; stags have cast their 

 antlers ; and the tiger and the bison, now driven for want of 

 water from deep woods into more accessible coverts, engage 

 the attention of the sportsman, to whom April and May are 

 the choicest months, while they are to others a season of 

 tribulation and martyrdom. 



By the middle of June, the monsoon rains set in violently ; 

 guns and rifles are put away in air-tight receptacles ; spears 

 are hung up, but cleaned and polished daily, and the trophies 



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