— 36 — 
King Mahiimd Bigara, who reigned in Guzerat from 1459 
to 1513 A.D., built the tank here, which is said to be 
17 J acres (7*08 hectares) in area {see Murray, “Handbook 
to India,” 8th Edition, 1911, p. 130). 
The water is now reduced to one large shallow pool in 
the centre of the great rectangular place, the sides of which 
are formed by tiers of stone steps, leading up to ruined 
palaces and kiosks of great architectural beauty, which are 
nowadays inhabited by large numbers of big grey Langur 
Monkeys, Semnopithecus entellns^ which run before one from 
room to room, scamper over the roofs, and watch one 
through windows and doorways. 
Besides these monkeys I saw many little striped palm- 
squirrels, a hare, countless birds, and some fine lizards 
(of the genus Calotes) among the ruins. 
The most noticeable of these wild birds were the Indian 
House-Crow, Corvus splendens^ the Babbler, Argya caudata^ 
the Black-headed Bulbul, Molpastes haemorrhous, the White- 
eared Bulbul, 3lolp)astes leucotis^ the King-Crow, Dicrurus 
ater^ the Black-headed Myna, Temenuchus pagodarum^ the 
M.yndi^Acridotheres tristisA^^ Black Indian Kobin, Thamnohia 
camhaiensis^ the Indian Silver-bill, Uroloncha malabarica^ 
the Indian House- Sparrow, Passer domesticus indicus^ large 
numbers of the very pretty Sykes’s Striated Swallow, 
Hirundo erythropygia^ a black and white Wagtail, Mota- 
cilla sp.^ the Ashy-crowned Finch-Lark, PyrrJiulauda grisea^ 
the Indian Roller or “ Blue Jay,” Goracias indica, the Green 
Bea-eater, Merops viridis, a small brown Swift, apparently 
Tachornis batassiensis, the Koel, Eudynamis honorata, the 
Crow- Pheasant, Centropus sinensis, the Ring-necked Parra- 
keet, Palaeornis torquatus, the Indian Pariah Kite, Alilvus 
govinda^ large numbers of Blue- Rock Pigeons, Columba lima 
or Columba intermedia^ many Indian Palm- Doves, Turtur 
cambayensis^ and Laughing-Doves, Turtur risorius. Brilliant 
Peacocks, Pavo cristatus^ and stately Sarus Cranes, Grus 
antigone^ walked where they willed in these gardens of dead 
kings. The cheery “ Did-you-do-it ” Plovers, or Red- 
wattled Lapwings, Sarcogrammus indicus^ ran here and 
there on the banks of the tank, where the Pond-Herons, 
Ardeola grayi^ stood motionless, and White-necked Storks, 
