Birds of Lucknow. 477 
But, as Mr. Eeid wrote, ^^the destruction of the flora 
would not much matter were it not that the singhara plant 
has taken its place/^ The famine of 1877-78 gave an 
immense impetus to its cultivation, which the famine 
eighteen years later emphasized. Doubtless from an economic 
point of view the fact is one for congratulation, but the effect 
is disastrous from a sportsman^s point of view. At all hours 
of the day the cultivators may be seen wading or floating 
about on primitive rafts attending to their duties, whilst all 
night long they sit up and make the night hideous in their 
endeavours to keep off the Geese. Many a jheel famous in the 
old days for its enormous bags is thereby rendered useless. 
In certairi years some species of wild-fowl are more numerous 
than others, and these again may disappear for a time 
without any apparent cause. Doubtless it is in the main 
climatic, but the notes that I have collected on the migration 
of our birds are not sufficient for drawing up any definite 
conclusions. One strange thing, however, is the scarcity 
of numerous birds recorded by Reid as ^' common,"*^ 
e, g. the Glossy Ibis {Plegadis falcinellus) and the Common 
Crane [Grus communis) , of which I have seen the former 
once, the latter never; whilst, on the other hand, he has 
not recorded several species which are now not infrequently 
met with. It is very difficult to make a proper use of the 
words " common " and " rare." Often birds are said to be 
"rare" when they should rather be classed as " local. '^ Thus, 
though I cannot recollect ever having seen the Flamingo 
[PhoRnicopterus ruseus), I know that it occurs in considerable 
numbers on jheels towards Sandila ; the Demoiselle Crane 
(Anthropoides virgo) I never saw till last year, when I came 
upon hundreds on some shallow jheels in the Rai Bareli 
district, and a few days afterwards I saw a flock passing 
high over Lucknow, evidently going to join their friends. 
Railways have also exercised a baneful effect on the fauna 
of the country. There is less virgin ground than there was 
twenty, fifteen, even ten years ago, and every season sees it 
diminish still more. A great deal of wanton, or rather I 
should say irresponsible, slaughter of game, and, in fact, birds 
and animals generally, is carried on. Much of this destruction 
