NATURALIST IN INDIA. 259 



constitute their favourite food, which they store up in autumn. 

 The hibernation lasts from four to five months, or even longer 

 when the snow lies for any lengthened period. The bearded 

 vulture and larger eagles are among their chief enemies. I 

 have seen the former bear off a marmot with great ease. 

 The total length of an adult drun is from 2f to 3 feet ; the 

 colour, chestnut, with black splashes on the back and hips. 

 It is seldom met with under 8000 above the level of the sea. 

 After a dismal night's bivouac on the Bultul Pass, we rose 

 at 6 A.M. on the following morning, July 7th, when the ther- 

 mometer stood at 36° Fahr., and after breakfast continued our 

 journey over a large glacier, at the further end of which a 

 stream of some magnitude gushed forth, and in conjunction 

 with other tributaries formed the Dras, a fine river flowing 

 northwards. The scenery was desolate and dreary beyond 

 belief ; the mountains rugged and steep, with little verdure 

 on their sides, and that confined to the lowest levels — to 

 wit, narrow valleys and banks of streams. All actual vegeta- 

 tion had disappeared except a few clumps of birches, from 

 which the well-known chaunt of the cuckoo resounded. 

 Several flocks of goldfinches, the black redstart and white- 

 fronted species, sand-martin, and the roseate finch, were seen. 

 Marmots in numbers continued their wailing calls all day at 

 broken intervals, and, like as many jacks in boxes, popped 

 into their holes as we approached. The plain of Minimurg, at 

 the foot of the pass, was covered with wild onions ; besides 

 which the Salep orchis, with its large yeUow flowers, was not 

 uncommon. The Dras river, now a goodly stream, flowed 

 down the vaUey, the sides of which were marked by descend- 

 ing glaciers and beds of snow fast melting round their dank 

 margins. As usual in these situations, the pretty purple and 

 rose-coloured primroses were peeping up, and a third species, 



