March, 184!). PROCEED TO STLTGOREE. :;«... 



On the 14th of March we proceeded west to Siligoree, 



along the skirts of the ragged Sal forest. Birds are 

 certainly the most conspicuous branch of the natural 

 history of this country, and we saw many species, 

 interesting either from their habits, beauty, or extensive 

 distribution. We noticed no less than sixteen kinds of 

 swimming birds, several of which are migratory and 

 English. The Shoveller, white-eyed and common wild 

 ducks ; Merganser, Brahminee, and Indian goose (Anser 

 Tndicci) ; common and Gargany teal ; two kinds of gull ; 

 one of Shearwater (TLhynchojps ablacus) ; three of tern, and 

 one of cormorant. Besides these there were three egrets, 

 the large crane, stork, green heron, and the demoiselle ; 

 the English sand-martin, kingfisher, peregrine-falcon, 

 sparrow-hawk, kestrel, and the European vulture : the 

 wild peacock, and jungle-fowl. There were at least 100 

 peculiarly Indian birds in addition, of which the more 

 remarkable were several kinds of mina, of starling, vulture, 

 kingfisher, magpie, quail, and lapwing. 



The country gradually became quite beautiful, much 

 undulated and diversified by bright green meadows, sloping 

 lawns, and deeply wooded nullahs, which lead from the 

 Sal forest and meander through this varied landscape. 

 More beautiful sites for fine mansions could not well be, 

 and it is difficult to suppose so lovely a country should be 

 so malarious as it is before and after the rains, excessive 

 heat probably diffusing widely the miasma from small 

 stagnant surfaces. We noticed a wild hog, absolutely the 

 first wild beast of any size I saw on the plains, except 

 the hispid hare [Lepus hispidus) and the barking deer 

 (Stt/locerus red no). The hare we found to be the best 

 game of this part of India, except the teal. The pheasants 

 of Dorjiling are poor, the deer all but uneatable, and tin- 



