290 Memoir Descriptive of the Vurragherry [Oct. 



believed, to the want of salt, which the grass and herbs on the 

 hills appear to be destitute of; as a remedy for which, the natives 

 to the east preserve their urine in vessels and mix it in the cow's drink. 

 The oxen, as also buffaloes, are employed in agriculture, a few of the 

 former in carrying burdens, for which service however the tattoos are 

 more in requisition. These small horses, being driven up in herds to 

 the eastern hills, are very prolific and breed largely. The wild 

 animals are the buffalo and elk who browse on the loftier hills, as 

 also wild sheep of two descriptions, a few spotted deer in the lower 

 regions, and the wild hog more numerous in the Kunnundaven hills. 

 The red and flying squirrels are rare animals, seen only in the larger 

 forests. That great animal the elephant, so famous for its depreda- 

 tions on fields and plantations, is never known to visit the more lofty 

 regions, but periodically makes incursions on the lower table-lands 

 of the eastern hills, as also into the valley of Unjeenad ; they are 

 numerous at the foot of the mountains. 



Implements and mode of husbandry. — The implements in use are in 

 every respect similar to those of the plains, in short are all obtained 

 from the low country, and though the lands are prepared by plough- 

 ing, the garlic, mustard and wheat fields, undergo also the 

 operation of digging and levelling, performed with the mamittys 

 (spades) 5 the seed being sown, the remainder of the labour of 

 digging, weeding, and watering, devolves chiefly on the women, 

 who are assisted by the men in taking in the harvest. Garlic 

 produces two crops in the year, one in the month of August, the other 

 in March. The rice fields are attended to by the polians and other 

 classes till harvest time. The seed is sown in January and February 

 in Unjeenad, the harvest follows in June, a second crop is obtained in 

 January. On the hills of Poomburra and Munnamanur, they sow the 

 paddy in October, the harvest, from the poor state of the soil, is pro- 

 tracted untilJune and July following; consequently there is but one 

 crop obtained on these hills, yeilding an average of twelve fold. It is 

 a singular circumstance, worthy of notice, that cranes and other birds 

 which swarm in all the rice fields in the low country, never frequent 

 these aerial regions, nor are any crows, kites or sparrows seen or 

 known to visit them ; the small dove is notuncommon, also blue pigeons, 

 the latter, however, is a bird of passage, for the period they remain 

 taking shelter in holes under precipices. 



