902 Journal of a Trip to the Burenda Pass in 1836. [Nov. 



Here also beneath the decaying trunk of fallen trees I discovered 

 in abundance some new species of land snails* belonging to the 

 genera, nanina, and bulimus. 



Pheasants are plentiful down the khads, but it is hard work hunt- 

 ing for them. 



The plass or pucras pheasant 5 and another bird called, the hhalij* 

 pheasant, are the commonest, but the mondl* is to be met with 

 towards the latter end of autumn and during the winter season, as 

 also the woodcock 6 ; indeed one of the latter birds, I saw flushed in 

 the month of August, and a brace were seen at Simla this year in 

 November. 



Wild hogs are abundant in the deep glens, where they shelter 

 themselves all day, and at night sally forth to regale on the grain 

 fields, much to the annoyance of the farmers ; — they also visit the 

 higher and more open parts of the forest where they turn up the 

 ground in search of aromatic roots, &c. 



Bears*, too, are numerous in the rocky glens, arriving from the 

 colder parts of the hills in the autumn and staying during the winter, 

 — retiring again to the interior about April, as the weather becomes 

 hotter. 



Besides these, many other animals are inhabitants of this forest, 

 such as the leopard 6 , leopard cat 6 , the hill fox 6 , and troops of lun- 

 goors 6 , as also the musk deer 6 and flying squirrel 6 . 



The former animal is seldom seen except at night when it prowls 

 about the sheep-folds, and is often as much the terror and pest of the 

 poor highland villagers, as the more formidable tiger is to the inhabi- 

 tants of the plains. 



At Simla where the leopard is by no means scarce, it is necessary 

 at nightfall to shut up the dogs, or they would, invariably sooner or 

 later, as indeed numbers do, fall victims to the voracity of this prowl- 

 ing savage. Even in open day, dogs are frequently snatched up by 

 this animal, when hunting along the wooded banks, only a few yards 

 from their masters. Instances are even on record of their entering 

 houses at night when the doors have been incautiously left open. 



Large tracts of the forest of the Mahdssu have of late years been 

 cleared for the purpose of planting potatoes, which thrive well on 

 sloping grounds and are cultivated to a great extent, vast quantities 

 being annually sent to the plains for sale. 



The magnificent timber which once abounded here is fast falling 

 beneath the woodman's axe, and it is to be feared that ere long, the 

 * Ursus Thibetanus. 



