ROUGH LIST OF THE BIRDS OF WESTERN KHANDESH. 283 
Khandesh was originally one of the best districts for big 
game shooting in the presidency, and very large bags were 
frequently made. The great increase of cultivation, and per- 
petual persecution, have however vastly diminished the amount 
of game ; still from 1865 to 1879, inclusive, there were 193 
tigers and 658 panthers killed in the district. At present 
tigers, once found all over the district, are very few and are 
restricted to the Satpuras and the babool jungles east of the 
Purna; single animals are, however, occasionally found in the 
west of Nandurbar, the Kondabhari Ghat of Pimpalnir, and 
sometimes even among the Ajunta hills. Panthers are, on the 
other hand, fairly common along all the rocky hills, except in the 
four central districts—Amalnir, Erandole, Nasirabad, and 
Virdeil. There are a few hunting leopards and lynxes in the 
Satpuras, but they are very scarce. 
Bears, originally very common, have diminished much lately. 
They have been practically exterminated in Pimpalnir, where 
they formerly abounded, and have become scarce everywhere 
except in the Akrani. 
Bison are found in considerable herds in the Akrani all the 
year through, and they visit the Khandesh Satpuras in the 
rains and cold weather, but, except in the Akrani, they are 
seldom found within Khandesh limits at other seasons. 
Sambur, though in diminished numbers, are found through- 
out the Satpuras and Satmullas, and occasionally about the 
Kondabhari Ghat. 
Cheetul (Avis maculatus) were formerly very common in the 
jungles east of the Purna river, but were so persecuted during 
the making of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway that they 
almost deserted the district. There are still a good many in 
the babool jungle in Edlabad, and a few small herds in Shada 
and Shirpur, aud I believe one herd in the Ajunta hills, Bark- 
ing Deer (Cervulus aureus) are not common, but I have seen 
them in various places in the Satpuras. 
Chinkara (Gazella bennetti) are common through all the rocky 
hills; there area few herds of Antelope (A. bezoartica) spread 
about the plain country, and a few, I believe, are occasionally 
met within the Deccan villages beyond the ghats in Chalisgaum. 
Nilghai (Portax pictus), formerly abundant everywhere, I am 
told, are now restricted to the edges of the hills. There are a 
few still in Nizampur, and a herd visit the Koorans near Dhulia 
every rains. 
Pig are common in the hilly country, but the ground makes 
riding them almost hopeless. Jackals are decidedly scarce, but 
there are loads of foxes and hares, and the country is in many 
places very well suited for coursing. 
_ The small game shooting is not very good. Some years 
