360 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 



< The rivers are fed by thousands of torrential streams, which, 

 •when there is no rain, completely dry up, and in the hot weather 

 it is no uncommon sight to see the water in the Damuda, just 

 above its junction with the Barakar, reduced to a narrow 

 stream that one can jump across without wetting the feet. 

 Supposing-, however, that a sufficient number of these tribu- 

 taries could be dammed up so as to produce an appreciable 

 effect in the reduction of the extent of country periodically 

 inundated, it is very doubtful whether, in dry weather, these 

 could send down a sufficient supply of water to keep a long 

 canal in constant operation. 



The next distinct rain-basin to be enumerated is that of 

 the Dalkissur, which occupies a small area in the central portion 

 of Manbhum. Just outside our limits it passes the station 

 of Bancura, and in the alluvial plains beyond is joined by the 

 Selye and Rupnarain, ultimately debouching into the Hugli. 

 • The rain-basin of the Kossai occupies nearly all the southern 

 portion of Manbhum through which it runs for a distance of 

 about 100 miles. At Midnapiir it has assumed the proportions 

 of a good sized river, but even there I believe the supply of 

 water falls very short in the hot weather, and to such an extent 

 as to seriously interfere with the usefulness of the irrigation 

 system established in connection with it. The Kossai rises in 

 the Jhulda hills, and meets the sea at the mouth of the Hugli. 



The Subanrika carries off the waters of the south-east 

 corner of the Division. Rising close to the station of Ranchi, 

 after some winding about it settles down to a steady south-east 

 direction, and traverses 150 miles of for the most very picturesque 

 country. 1 have traversed its bed step by step throughout that 

 distance, and would certainly assign to this— -the Golden-sanded 

 River — the first rank for beauty among the rivers of Ohota 

 Nagpur. The locally famous waterfall, known as the Hundru 

 Ghag, and said to be upwards of 300 feet high, is alone an object 

 calculated to excite admiration and interest. 



The principal tributaries of the Subanrika are the Korkai, 

 which collects the waters of the Singhbhum basin, and the 

 Karkari. 



' To the west and south-west of the Subanrika rain-basin lies 

 that of the Brahmini ; its principal affluents are the Sunk and 

 Koel. The river in fact, after the junction of these two, becom- 

 ing the Brahmini. 



The Koel takes its rise close to the station of Ranchi and not 

 far from the sources of the Subanrika, while the Sunk rises 

 near the sources of the (Sone) Koel in Barwa. * 



