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CHAPTER XX. 



From Pushut to Kettore and Baroivl in Kaffiristan, and 

 return to Pushut and CabuL 



February 20th. — Furaaria found. 



23rd. — Cloudy, threatening rain. Swallows coming in, also 

 Fringillaria, with blackish cheek- streaks, also Pyrgita alia, starlings 

 uncommon up to this day about the site of the camp, where there is 

 much straw, and camels are lying. Flocks of rooks, genuine rooks, 

 flocks of daws, minas, pigeons, and many carrion crows have been 

 daily resorting to camp, all very wild from being constantly fired at, 

 as in this country every man almost has a matchlock. No Gypaetos 

 seen for several days. 



26th. — Fine weather after two days uncertain, in which the large- 

 headed lark has just come in abundance, this and the English one fre- 

 quent fields ; the crystal one is found almost exclusively on certain 

 stony cultivated places : swallows have likewise arrived with many 

 wild fowl. Four raptorial birds are now seen about this, or rather 

 three, for Gypaetos has gone, viz. the common kite, or one which 

 looks much like it, a beautiful white slaty-blue and black harrier, 

 at least it comes about constantly, and looks much like an Indian 

 species, and much like one I shot high up in Bootan, together with 

 a large blackish and white one, with a distinct collar. The fishing 

 hawk, I saw it yesterday catch a large fish, making a strong rapid 

 plunge boldly into the water, and emerging again from it without 

 much difficulty ; its habits except while fishing, are very sedentary, 

 and it seems to prefer one spot, viz. the top of some particular tree, 

 near perhaps its favourite feeding place. 



27th. — Another new bird has come in. A Fringillina, with curious 

 Flycatcher habits, I have only seen two individuals, they perch 

 towards the top of trees, and thence sally out after winged insects. 

 I examined the contents of its stomach, and found only seeds, gravel, 

 and soft insects. 



The sun is increasing wonderfully in power, but the trees are not as 

 yet budded. Shrubby Polygoneae, with flagellate branches and leaves, 

 in which the petiole is as much developed as the lamina, form a 

 curious feature of Affghan Flora ; Euphorbia linifolia common, the 

 herbaceous one in profusion. 



