16 BHOTIA MEHALS 



of musk bags, exclusive of those imported from Tartary, are annually 

 disposed of in this province. " Shia" Marmot, a small brown kind, 

 numerous in the upper parts of the Ghats. " Kukar" ferret, small, of an 

 orange color, abounds in the villages, where it burrows in the walls of the 

 houses : zeal in destroying rats secures to it the protection of the inhabit- 

 ants. The rats are numerous; they offer the peculiarity of tails not exceed- 

 ing half an inch in length. Most of the animals here enumerated have the 

 reputation, as noticed in the case of the " Barji" of assuming, in winter, 

 the appearance of the surrounding snow. The inaccessibility of the interior 

 during that season, renders the ascertainment of this fact difficult. 



The birds peculiar to Bitot consist of the — 



Falcon and hawk, which breed on the southern ranges ; these birds 

 once formed an article of profitable export to Hindustan, but the demand 

 is now trifling. They are caught in decoys called " Kothas," which are 

 formed by a wall of netting erected on three sides, the fourth side and 

 the top being left open ; on this side the fowler lies concealed and by sud- 

 denly emerging when the hawk stoops to seize the bait, drives it in 

 rising against the nets. The bait used is commonly a pigeon. The 

 spots adapted for these " Kotltas" and at the same time the resort of the 

 hawks, are far from numerous, they are all situated on high and open 

 ridges, far removed from the villages. 



" Hiun Weil" (bird of snow,) the Ptarmigan- 



" Mukao" wild pigeon, mottled black and white. 



" Kyang" Cornish chough, easily known from the common jack- 

 daw, by its bright scarlet bill and legs. During the summer season, 



many 



