1 0 0 P E A C O C K SHOOTING.
he is iii-catly fuligiiod, I'of liie liawk seldom fails in a few niiniiles lo obtain the
usccniiaiicy. Wiion die ajnix perceives the liawk lo be above liis own level, lie
sereanis loiully. and ¡¡resenls his beak as a defence. The hawk, however, generally
keeps nioviiii,' rotmd iinl.il he can gel towards the ajniss back, when ho
darls down upon liini like a shol. The ci/riis on such occasions either bends his
Mcck back, or, throwing hintself over, ])resents both his beak and liis feet to avert
tlio ialal blow, in this way, the battle is often prolonged for a considerable
time ; but if the b^rce be staunch, he will in the end so weary ihe ci/nis, lliat it
camiol act with sullicient proinplitude lo prevent being sei/.eil by the head,
where the hi/ree fixing his talons, commonly into the very brain, or in at ihe
eyes, and closing his wings, ihey are botli precipated together. But if the
hawk iirid himself in danger, from the violence of the fall, he, in approaching
ihe ground, sjii-eads his wings, which scr\^ing as a parachute, causes him to keep
above the ri/rus, ami enables himself lo aliglit vvilh less force. Al this time the
hawkers must gallop to secure t!ie bijrec, which, after eat ing the brains, woul d be
very apl to lake a long flight, and occasion great trouble.
' J ' h c mooty, so called fi-om being barely a liandful, is carricd in ihe hand,
when (juails or other small birds arc tpiesled. As soon as one is observed to
rise, ihe moolij is thrown, as you would cast a slooe after it, when on an instant
the mootif collects itself, and without the smallest hesitation, follows ihe game,
wliich rarely escapcs. I have seen a inootij in ihis manner kill near a dozen of
Eagles arc often seen to the northward ; they are in general very large, and
of lhat kind wliich, like the bantam, has feathers down to the heels. They
occasionally trouble ihc she|)heRU, but for the most part live on liares, vermin
&c. The natives stale, llial they often take away children ; bul T never could
hear ihis report substantiated : it appeared lo me to be held ont rather as an
object of terror, lo keep the brats from wandering; especially in places frequented
by wolves, hya?nas, &c. I shol an eagle near Caunpore, which measured
upwards of eight feel from wing lo wing!
"Monkeys abound almost everywhere : (heir usual haunts are in thick mango
topes, near to cultivated spots. They are of various sizes. The lungoon is at
least etjual in weight lo a lad of fourteen ; and, when erecl, stands five feet and
a half and iii)uards in height. These are extremely misciiievous, and have, in
many instances, been guilty of the niosl brutal violence. Notiiing can surpass
their boldness. If in numbers, tiiey will slrip a moderate sized maize plantation
during a few hours, iu spile of the opposition of a small |)aity of uien. Their
dis])osition is so libidinous, that where they e.xisl, women caimol pass their
haunts in safety. They are of a curious appearance, being of a greenish dun
colour, with black faces and paw.s, and a grey rim of hair surrounding their
foreheads, so as to resemble a small toupee wig ! I Iiave at various times seen
these gentry in a field of vegetables, when, until approached very nearly, 1
mistook them for natives weeding.
Apes are scarce; and, except in particular situalions, the oumnfr-oufans is not
to be seen. The common kind of monkey, which is found almost everywhere, is
ihe bhundcr, or woodman. These, when erect, may measure about two feet in
h e i g h t : they are docile and affectionate. Under the tuition of ihe jugglers, who,
among many other curious mat ters, exhibit a variety oftrick.s, done most naturally,
b y the bhanders, it is very diverting to see these lillle mimics counterfeiting the
gail and motions of various professions, and especially corroborating, by their
aclions, the deluge of llatlery whieli the jugglers pour forth in praise of every
thing relating to ihe English characler. Their antics are so excellently just on
these occasions, that many human professors of the mimic art mighl, without
the smallest disparagement, take a lesson from these diminutive imitators!
In many places ihere are established revenues alloUed for feeding whol e tribes
of bhunders. These generally depend on a faukccr, or mendicant priest, or on a
mi/ky, M'ho has lands beslowed on him, by some becjuest, as an objectof charity.
These having either a small hut, or being attached to some particular mausoleum
erected in honour of their benefactor, maintain themselves and the bhunders by
an appeal to all travellers; who, pleased wilh ihe familiarity of the monkeys,
r a r e ly fail lo give a few picc, or small copper coin, par i of which is disbursed al
the shop of a neighbouring vender of provisions, who always resides near snch
a regular scene of consumption iu that line. The moukevs are very orderly;
coming when called, and never molesting any person. It has, indeed, happened
that these pcnsiouer.s have taken oflence at mere tinfles, and done some mischief:
their bite is very severe, and they display uncommon unanimity and perseverance
in their rcsenlmenls.
The red flamingo is very scarce in India. I never saw more than one there,
and that, I believe, had been brought by Colonel Burrington from the Cape of
Good Hope. The grey kind may occasionally be seen, but they are scarce.
Curlews of every description abound : they are extremely shy, but remarkably
fine ilavoured. I shoulfl except ihe black sort from this description ; they
being very coarse and fishy, These grow to a large size, being, when plucked,
as bulky as a pheasant. Plovers are numerous in their season ; and the jwce-iaii
is to be found at all limes.
The power of the sun is a greai drawback on ihe pleasures of the liekl. Most
sportsmen provide themselves with white turbans of (piilted linen, which, covering
ihc crown of ihcir hats, keeps olf ihe heat. The skin of a pelican, with the
soft down adhering, like our swan-skin powder-pulFs, is, however, much lighter
and cooler, Snipe-shooling is particularly insalubrious in India, being mostly
in extensive swamps; and as the birds do not lay but in the middle of the day,
t h e lower extremities are freezing, while the head is melting with heat. It is
very unplea.sant to follow game ihrough «¡uags, and to be someliuies nearly up
to the neck in mud and water. A facetious gent leman, Lieutenant George Boyd,
who was an excellenl and keen sportsman, whenever he went suipe-shooling,
used to s(piat down in the first sufiicient puddle he came to, so as lo wet
P E A C O C K SHOOTING. 101
himself up 10 tl)e iicck ; obsoi-vlng lliat he found it very unpleasant to be gelling
wet by inehes, and that by this process lie put himself out of pain. He did not
live long !
Injeek the natives often eatcli wild fowl by means of large pots, at first left
to float about among the birds, which soon become reconcilcd and approach
them wilhont fear. VVlien this eflect is produced, a shecarry wades among the
birds with his head in a similar pot, and pulls them under water fastening them
to a girdle prepared for the purpose. The bmmimi, or red and white goose, is,
however, very wary, and is seldom taken by any device. A pair of lliem with
a flock of grey geese, will commonly keep up such an alarm as lo defy the
powers of small shot.
The flights of water fowl that arrive in Bengal immediately as the rains
subside, are astonishing. The c j n m and all ihe larger kinds may be seen
d n r l n » the early time of the rains in Immense flights; caeh strmg lormnig an
angle, led by one bird which, at times, is relieved by some other : they invariably
i y to the same quarter. If one be wounded, it always separates from the
flock, and generally changes its
four miles before it has dropped
1 have known a goose lo fly nearly
Pheasants of several kinds are found to llie south-east near Cliillagong, but
no where else. A green and gold breed are sometimes brought iu cages, as
presents, or for sale, from the borders of Napaul ; but I do not recollect seeing
any young produced from them in Bengal. The guatKi, which resembles an
overgrown lizard, destroys much game : its bite is not dangerous, hut it curls
its tail towards its mouth when in ilaiiger, and lashes with it in a dreadful
m a n n e r ; often occasioning the llcsli to mortify. There is a beautiful breed of
owls in the northern provinces : they appear, when on the wing, as if spangled
with gold, on a fine straw coloured ground. Hats also abound ; thai sort
known by the name of the Hying fox is the most curious; many having bodies
as big as crows, with heads and teeth in proportion. They hang in clusters
during the day in recluse situations, mostly on bamboos, by means of the hooks
on their wings. I have shot some thai measured nearly four feel across the wings!
They do no harm ; but, on the contrary, destroy an infinity of reptiles and