NATURALIST IN INDIA. 83 



jungle en route. Soon the clear piping call of the kalij 

 pheasant "was heard among the dense wood, as one after 

 another rose before our dogs ; while, now and then, a black 

 partridge dashed past us. Vigors's and the red-billed jays 

 sent forth their harsh calls, in concert with the ringing clang 

 of the crested bulbul, the rough chirp of the red-backed 

 shrike, or the wild scream of the rose-coloured parrakeet. 



Between the reports of our guns and the barking of the 

 dogs, we had upset the interior economy of the jungle, for 

 every bird in the district and hiU-side seemed roused and 

 alarmed. They had evidently not been accustomed to such 

 rude and noisy molestations. 



The hamlet of Philora is situate on the banks of the 

 river Gerrie. Here we encamped, and viewed the mighty 

 mountain-stream, now flooded by the melting snow of the 

 higher ranges, roaring and surging some hundreds of feet 

 below us, its banks either clad with profusion of trees ^and 

 shrubs, or stretching gently np into cultivated terraces, where 

 here and there might be seen a solitary gable-roofed hamlet, 

 with the never-failing tree to shade its inmates from the heat 

 of mid-day. 



After a savoury repast on pheasants and partridges, we 

 descended towards the river, for the purpose of exploring the 

 neighbourhood. Great was our chagrin on observing a musk- 

 deer, perched on a projecting cliff some forty feet above us. 

 The little -creature stood and gazed at us with apparent un- 

 concern, when a rustle was heard close by, and a native, 

 crawling out of the bush, knelt, and taking a steady aim with 

 his long matchlock, sent a bullet against the rock, about an 

 inch above the animal's back. 



The formations in the neighbourhood were composed 

 chiefly of mica-slate, while, along the course of the river. 



