THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA, BURMA AND CEYLON. 333 



" The Jamrud Plain, a few miles out of Peshawar is covered, to 

 some extent, with low sparse scrub jungle and small boulders 

 intersected with numerous dry water courses, mostly small, but 

 some of a considerable width. The road runs right through this 

 plain and on either side the latter stretches away to the foot of the 

 hills, where far away — about 10 miles distant — can be seen Fort 

 Jamrud, situated at the mouth of the famous Khyber Pass." 



" After an early breakfast we would drive out in the keen 

 morning air to our rendezvous, some five miles or so out on the 

 Jamrud road, to which our ponies had already been sent on ahead 

 to wait for us. Here also Col. Aslam Khan would generally wait 

 for us, together with a few men of the Khyber RijQes, to act as an 

 armed escort party and also to be extended in line on either side of 

 us so that they might act as beaters. 



" Having mounted our ponies we would strike off across the 

 Plain in the direction of the Minitini Fort, the men with the 

 Falcons — they were Peregrines we usually used for this sport — on 

 either side of us, and the remaining sepoys extended as I have 

 said. 



" After going in this manner for perhaps the best part of a 

 mile, sometimes much less, up would get a Houbara, generally about 

 80 yards or so in front of our line. Immediately he was spotted 

 one of the falcons was unhooded and throwaa off, and as soon as he 

 sighted the Houbara a grand race would begin. The Peregrine, 

 like an arrow from the bow, would hurl itself in pursuit of its 

 quarrjA and we would hasten after both, galloping for all we were 

 worth, and galloping across the boulder strewn and broken plain 

 was exciting enough in itself, though it was wonderful the way our 

 little country-bred ponies kept their feet and got over the ground.'' 



" Ride, however, as hard and as recklessly as we could, the two 

 birds would leave us soon behind, although the Houbara with the 

 steady beats of the wing seemed to be going comparatively 

 slowly," 



" At last the Falcon would be within striking distance of the 

 Houbara, there would be one lightning-like swoop from the former 

 from far above, and then, if he struck true the tragedy was over for 

 the Bustard, and riding up we would find them in some small open 



