14 WANDERINGS OF A 



of grain, orchards, and groves, wherein grow the lime, the 

 orange, the vine, pomegranate, mango, plantain, and guava. 

 Truly may the traveller say, " This land is fair to look 

 upon!" 



The remains of one of Holkar's palaces may be seen at 

 the back of the artillery lines. At the time of our visit 

 (5 A.M.) the carcase of a horse was lying close by ; round it 

 were congregated tawny eagles, Indian and Egyptian vul- 

 tures, crows, pariah dogs and jackals. As we approached 

 they quickly dispersed. One after another the great eagles 

 disappeared, but the vultures gorged with their repast, sat 

 perched on the ruined walls of the palace, while the jackals 

 skulked away to their hiding-places, and the dogs, scarcely 

 able to rise from the place where they had fed, lay listlessly 

 around the skeleton, or, seated on their haunches, licked their 

 lips, as though gloating over the remembrance of their recent 

 meal. I believe, when an artillery horse dies, the carcase is 

 never buried, but laid upon the plain, where it is quickly 

 devoured by these useful scavengers. 



The climate of the high northern ranges is delicious ; 

 several old forts remain upon their ridges, the chief of which 

 is Poonadur, a favourite resort during the hot months. 



There are few good shooting-grounds in the neighbour- 

 hood. Quail and partridge are found in small numbers, and 

 after the rains snipe — common and jack-snipe — also the 

 painted species {Ehynchcea iengalensis). 



The antelope black-buck (Cervicapra bezoartica) is rare, 

 and from having been so much hunted is very shy and diffi- 

 cult of approach. 



The wokhab or tawny eagle {Aquila fulvescens) is com- 

 mon around Poonah, and is often seen on housetops or feed- 

 ing with govind-kites on the refuse of the kitchen. It is by 



