564 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST, SOCIETY, Vol. XXVIII. 
Punchayet or Council of birds, the Monal sought to close the entrance of the 
sleeper’s nest. A struggle ensued during which the Monal passed through 
the Grackle’s legs thus dislocating the hip joints. 
The Grackle borrowed from the Cuckoo some gold and made its golden 
wattles. The bird never paid and_ since then in April with unfailing 
regularity, the Cuckoo comes to the hills to recover his loan but never finds 
the Grackle who at this season of the year goes up to the higher reaches. 
THe Myna. 
When there is much talk and little doing the Indian calls it a “‘ Jhotari punch” 
or Myna’s cackling. 
Mytxuicat Birps In Kanara. 
In Kangra there are a pair of mythical birds called the ‘“ Koorl ” and 
‘* Koorli,’”’ white in colour. About the ending of July or mid-August these birds 
are said to arrive on the banks of the Beas river in the State cf the Raja of Lam- 
bagraon. There on a Seemal or Cotton tree (Bombax) they sit. The male and fe- 
male take it in turns to thus squat week about. While the male is sitting the 
female bird feeds her mate with fish from the river Beas. If the Koolri or female 
bird on first going out captures a fish, she brings it back to the Koorl, but if she 
fails and captures a fish on her return journey the Koorl refuses to eat it and 
drops it on the ground and it is then taken by the Raja’s chowkidar to the 
Raja. If the male bird or Koorl sits first, the first week of the monsoon is 
ushered in with a deluge. When the Koorli sits the rains are less. If you 
ask the Raja of Lambagraon he will, as a British chief, tell you the taleis 
mythical, yet for hundreds of years now the monsoon season is called “ Koorlani’ 
from this tale believed in by the people throughout the Kangra for centuries. 
Tur Monat PHEASANT. 
The shepherds of Kangra are called Gaddies, a very handsome though dirty 
race of people. Well built and hardy mountaineers they migrate yearly back- 
wards and forwards to and from the snows with their herds made up of an animal 
which appears to the layman a cross between a goat and asheep. These sheep 
find their way in large quantities to the hill stations of Simla and Mussoorie, 
where the mutton is called “‘ Khadoch.” 
The crown of the Monal pheasant is used by hill people for ceremonial 
adornments hence itis that a hill shikari will always bring you a headless: 
Monal and swear you shot his head away. 
The Gaddies use the crown feathers of the Monal pheasant intheir woollen 
caps. <A hint to those in search of the most perfect decoration for a sweetheart’s. 
hat is to get in touch with some one in Kangra where these crown feathers are 
available in perfect condition at a rupee or Rs. 1-8-0 a crown. I paid Rs. 3 for 
mine, but it was a bad season. 
I will conclude this article written many years ago with a couple of legends 
existing about the country. 
ANDRETA—THE SAL JUNGLE. 
There is a place called in Kangra, Andreta, which in the time of Raja Ranjit 
Sing, the Lion of the Punjab, had a pucca built tank or bathing place which is 
still existent, proving that in bygone times it was a place of pilgrimage. The 
legend is that in Ranjit Sing’s time there was in this tank a fish with a gold 
nose ring. Andreta is 5 miles from Palampur on the way up from the plains to 
Kulu, famous for its fruit. Immediately behind Andreta is a forest of Sal 
timber unique because it is the only Sal in the Valley. 
Legend says that Bhimsen, one of the Pandeva Kings of Delhi, brought a 
smalJl hill from Hardwar and undertook to carry it to Baijnath which has a 
very ancient Hindu temple and is to this day a place of pilgrimage. When he 
