198 WANDEKINGS OF A 



study. I observed two species of humble bees some-what 

 common along the grassy banks of the Duchinpara. One sort 

 was rather larger than the common British species, but is 

 jet black ; the other had the head and lower parts black, the 

 back and loins white, with a red spot close to the sting. In 

 a pine-forest, for the first and last time, I had a glimpse of 

 a rare woodpecker, about the size of the lesser woodpecker. 

 Its head was white, neck and breast bluish-black, and belly 

 and vent red. 



By the 10th of May spring had fairly set in, and clothed 

 the woods and jungles along the sides of the valley with 

 their gayest attire. The hawthorn, wild rose, and a lilac 

 (with small flowers and numerous elliptical leaves) were in 

 full blossom, and filled the air with their delightful perfumes ; 

 whilst creepers hung in beautiful festoons on tree and shrub. 

 The edoho or black and white crested cuckoo {Oxylophus 

 imlanoleucos) was heard piping its well-known call, and in the 

 evening, sporting like swallows, and attractive by their loud 

 and wild cry, were flocks of the common European bee-eater. 

 Summer was come, and the long grass and ferns on the 

 mountain-sides showed us the uselessness of seeking for bears 

 in such dense cover. Accordingly, I packed up my rifle, 

 and commenced the ornithology of the district, descending 

 from the excitement of deer-stalking, to the no less agree- 

 able pastime of searching after the little feathered denizens 

 of the woods and glades. Among bushy places a small white- 

 throated warbler, a little less than the cinereous white-throat 

 of Europe, is very common. The jackal's howl was heard 

 every night. 



The silk-worm is reared in great numbers in several parts 

 of the valley and its offshoots. At Brar we witnessed cocoons 

 being boiled over a slow fire, when the silk was collected by 



