NATURALIST IN INDIA. 197 



of admiration and pleasure, until the Drongo shrike, or 

 some unwelcome intruder, drove the gorgeous little fairies 

 away. 



The mountain-slopes on each side of the valley at Eish 

 Makam are reported to have once been among the best hunt- 

 ing-grounds in Cashmere untU the murderous rifle of the 

 Englishman almost annihilated the large game. I beat over 

 one hill-side south of the village, and in the course of the 

 day met with several herds of bara-singa ; but the harts 

 were all without horns, and, from shedding their hair, were 

 not in good condition either as trophies or for the table. Two 

 old hinds passed within a few yards of us, and for a few 

 minutes seemed doubtful whether to scamper off or face us. 

 After trotting leisurely into a wood, they turned round, 

 stamped with their fore-feet, and barked in their coughing-like 

 way, and only took to flight when we bellowed after them. 

 My shickaree, evidently more scrupulous of the quantity than 

 the quality of his venison,'"kept exhorting me to kill one ; 

 but my better feelings decided otherwise, and we left them 

 for the autumn. Several monal pheasants' were observed. I 

 wounded a young black bear, but owing to the denseness of 

 the ferns growing along the base of the hOl we lost its traU. 

 Halkett was more fortunate, and killed a she brown bear and 

 wounded its cub, which he found the following day lying 

 dead at some distance -from the spot. Wild rhubarb is 

 exceedingly plentiful on aU the exposed parts of the moun- 

 tains, and when young forms the first food of the brown bear 

 on its exit from its cave in early spring. Nothing can exceed 

 the variety and beauty of the wild flowers of these mountains ; 

 to the botanist they are replete with the greatest interest. 

 My time, however, was so occupied with other natural history 

 pursuits that I had not leisure to devote to this enchanting 



