NATURALIST IN INDIA. 303 



one mass of cloud clear off the hillside than another took its 

 place. One morning I espied a fine stag on a cliff above us, 

 and just as I was getting within range, a cloud came rolling 

 down the mountain and enveloped us. It was useless 

 advancing in hopes of the dense mass clearing away, for there 

 was no discerning objects within a few yards. I crawled, how- 

 ever, up the steep ascent to within a short distance of the deer, 

 whose feet I could hear clattering on the stony ridge close 

 by. Thus ended our fiitile attempts at deer-hunting ; and as 

 the weather had every appearance of continuing in the same 

 state for a week longer, we struck camp on the 2d of Septem- 

 ber, and, leaving the inhospitable region, retraced our steps to 

 Pilgam, where a very different state of matters existed. From 

 thence we could discern the clouds still hovering over the tops 

 of the KuUohoy mountains, while all around the village was 

 in bright sunshine. By our former route we contiaued our 

 journey down the Duchinpara to the village of Gannisbul, 

 situate among orchards of fruit-trees, under one of which 

 our shiokarees had spread bears' skins, and prepared for us a 

 feast of apples and pears in celebration of our visit to their 

 native village. In the evening we repaired to a neighbouring 

 jungle to wait for black bears, which at that season descend 

 from the moimtains in numbers to feed on wild apples, grapes, 

 and walnuts. Although we saw several, none were killed. 



This species has been known under cover of night to enter 

 the orchards in the very centre of the villages, and we were 

 surprised one morning at Kullohoy to find that on the previous 

 night one had been digging up the turf within a few yards of 

 our tent. Their aptitude for climbing enables them to mount 

 to the tops of the tallest trees, where they may be often foimd at 

 night standing on their hind-legs on a branch, and seizing the 

 boughs laden with walnuts, which they crunch, rejecting the 



