479 



CHAPTER XXI. 

 From Cabul to Kohi-Baba. 



July \lth. — Proceeded from Cabul to Shah Bagh; cloudy weather, 

 occasionally a very slight shower during the last few days, depending 

 probably on the Punjab rains. To-day, observed a small green cater- 

 pillar, climbing up a fine thread, like a spider's web, which hung from 

 the fly of the tent ; its motions were precisely those of climbing, the 

 thread over which it had passed was accumulated between its third 

 pairs of legs ; it did not use its mouth. 



I did not ascertain whether the thread was its own production or 

 not ; if it was, it must have come out of its tail. 



24th. — The fish in the Cabul river here are, a Loach, an Oreinus, 

 and a Barbel ; none of these grow to any size, as there is but little 

 water left in the river in consequence of the drain for extensive culti- 

 vation on both the east and west sides of the city. 



Small specimens of these fish, especially the Loach and Oreinus, 

 are found in the canals or larger watercuts, in which the current is 

 slow and regular. It is curious that in the canal near the Shah Bagh, 

 which has been lately turned off* above the Cantonment, all the speci- 

 mens of the Loach left in the pools of water were dead, while the 

 Oreinus did "not appear to have suffered. 



This Loach is a Cobitis propria, it has the usual form of that genus, 

 the spots are disposed irregularly, rarely becoming banded. The shape 

 of the head is curious, the forehead being prominent, this gives the 

 mouth an appearance of unusual depression.* 



The country both on the east and west sides of Cabul may have 

 been formerly a lake. Such indeed would seem to have been the origin 

 of all the valleys in which there is an expanse of tillable ground, and 

 not mere strips confined to the banks of the draining streams. 



The eastern valley is indeed partly occupied by the large sheet of 

 water to the north, and the west is very marshy. The eastern one is 

 interspersed with low detached ranges of hills. 



The birds are a magpie, a dove, Oriolus, Pastor roseus, Pastor alter, 

 sparrow, water-wagtail, Hirundo, Hoopoe, Lanius, Sylvia sp., water- 



* Nearly allied to Cobitis chlorosoma, As. Res. Vol. xix, pi. 52, f. 3. 



