MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 553 
Peacock, the Dogra believes that if part of the tear drop reaches the ground a 
Peahen or “ Bodur”’ is the result. The Dogra of the Kangra Valley will there- 
fore eat the Peahen but not the Cock bird. The tail feathers of a Peacock are 
believed by Indians, and very many Europeans (*“ Koi hais ’’) to be unlucky. 
In India tail feathers made into fans are used by Princes and by Hindus in their 
religious ceremonies and for ‘‘ mantras” or charms. In the Kangra the Dogra 
always places a Peacock’s feathers on his leaf umbrella as a charm against 
jightning, because when lightning was first made it came to earth, and as it 
twisted and turned along the earth’s surface, the Peacock took it to be a snake, 
swallowed it, thus becoming immune. It isa common cry in Kangra to hear 
during a storm the Dogras cry out “ More More” to frighten away the 
lightning. 
Tue Own and the Nicur Jar. 
In Kangra again where folklore of birds and beasts is abundant 
it is said that the Owl was once naked, hungry and _ poverty-stricken 
and it went round and borrowed afeather from each bird. From that 
~ day the Owl has never shown his face to his creditors, to whom he 
had promised repayment, and he skulks till night fallinvisible, his voice being 
that of a ventriloquist. The Owl is called in Kangra “‘ Lingour”’ and he is 
bound to bea lucky man who sees the bird. The Night Jar is called in 
Kangra ‘‘ Haliya” or ploughman. There was a cruel hard-hearted Zamindar 
who worked his bullocks al! the day and even after sunset. As a punishment 
in this, his second life, God turned him into a bullock and created the Night 
Jar who even at night goads on the bullock with his ery Tehk Tchk. 
THE Crow. 
“ Ka karar koota, biswas na karve sota.” Don’t trust the crow, the dog and 
the Bunnia, even if they be asleep. 
** Ka karar bundi khai. Bahman koota koi nahin sokai.” 
If a Crow or Bunnia finds a good meal, he calls his brethren, but not so 
the Brahmin, or dog, who calls no one. Here at least, since these proverbs are 
built on worldly experience, the Indian has condensed his wisdom. 
The left eye of a crow shot on Wednesday is used as a love philtre :— 
Budhwar da Kowa, viz., a Wednesday Crow. 
If the Crow touches water or food, the high caste Hindu will partake of 
neither. 
THE PIGEON. 
The birds once held a contest as to which of them had the best eye-sight 
The two last contestants were the Pigeon and the Vulture about whom votes 
were equal. The contestants met “ See there that speck in the dim distance ?” 
said the Vulture. “ Certainly ’’ answered the Pigeon. ‘‘ On the right and 
further away in a ravine lies a dead bullock.” Says the Vulture. 
““T see it, ’ said the Pigeon, ‘‘ but under its tail is a lump of dung with 
many grains of wheat. Do yousee them?” ‘“ Nonsense,” said the Vulture 
‘and the whole concourse of birds flew to the carcase and there of course it 
being the season of harvest was the lump of dung with grains of wheat. 
It is better to have the sense of deduction than all senses fully and abnormally 
developed. 
THE GRACKLE AND Monat PHEASANT. 
In the Himalayas the Grackle or “‘ Kulchuni” is met and its widespread 
straddled gait is thus accounted for. Once on a time the birds met to decide 
which was the earliest riser. The issue lay between the Monal pheasant and 
the ‘“Kulchuni’’ The Monal flew down to the Grackle’s nest and found him 
asleep very early inthe morning, To have evidence of his victory for the 
