21 Chandrasekhara Banurji— The Kaimur Range. [No. 1, 
foot of the hills are sown with indigo, but the out-turn has not yet been 
encouraging ; the yield, according to our calculation, hardly exceeding 13 
chattaks of the blue dye per bigah. 
The dairy produce of the hill-men consist mostly of ghi or clarified 
butter. After the early rains, as soon as the hills put on their green ver¬ 
dure, the entire stock of cows and buffaloes, counting more than 25000 herds, 
are taken up to the plateau to graze. The charahas or cowherds, some 
• 5000 men, follow the cattle. 
Extempore villages crop up on every side. The tableland presents a 
busy scene, while cattle-theft commences to disturb the owners. During 
this season the cows are milked, and ghi to the extent of at least 10,000 
maunds is prepared, which at 13 Rs the maund represent the value at 
Rs. 130,000 per annum. When the milking season is over and the grass 
begins to dry, the stream of movement turns towards the plains and the 
temporary huts are abandoned. 
Birds —Of birds of prey the til a, the kite, and the smaller hawks breed 
on the hills, but the larger female zerra with which the gentlemen in these 
parts yet indulge in sport, like the Barons of the Middle Ages, comes from the 
northern countries. The larger and smaller quail, i. e. both the titir and 
the hater , are the only birds which are pursued by these hawks. The 
bageri is snared only by the fowlers. Peacocks and partridges also abound 
in several parts of the forest, and the bogolu or the heron is pursued for its 
feathers. We meet the yellow wren (Halud guri), the musical shama like 
the nightingale, and the munia or Amedabats in the bushes, while other birds 
hardly larger than the little finger delight to come down to the gardens to 
pick up the honey, or steal a little drink from the sides of the wells or 
bathing-places. 
Of “ the favourites of the Hindu poets” the cuckoo or kokila raises 
its rich voice occasionally, and we hear one even now, as we write these 
lines, to tune its sweet gamuts— 
“ In gladsome Lours of blushing spring, 
Mid fragrant spring and bees on wing, 
The cuckoo young doth pass bis days.” 
Of the Indian gracile, the pied starling or go-salik and the sari can 
be had by hundreds. But the real hill maina “ of fine glossy plumage with 
permanent yellow mantle” and with varied pleasing note, which breed pro¬ 
fusely in the hills of Orissa and Kaunjhar, is not to be found in the Kaimur 
Range. 
The parrot (tiya) also abounds in these hills, but whether it is the 
Alexandrian parrot which the great conqueror took to Europe we cannot 
determine. It is a nice talking bird, and a story is current' about one of 
these hill-parrots which awaked the owner of a house when a bullock was 
being stolen. 
