The Bābur-nāma in English (Memoirs of Bābur)
_būghū_ it casts them every year. Being rather a poor runner, it does
not leave the jungle.
Another is a deer (_kiyīk_) after the fashion of the male deer (_aīrkākī
hūna_) of the _jīrān_.[1755] Its back is black, its belly white, its
horns longer than the _hūna's_, but more crooked. A Hindūstānī
[Sidenote: Fol. 276b.] calls it _kalahara_,[1756] a word which may have
been originally _kālā-haran_, black-buck, and which has been softened in
pronunciation to _kalahara_. The doe is light-coloured. By means of this
_kalahara_ people catch deer; they fasten a noose (_ḥalqa_) on its
horns, hang a stone as large as a ball[1757] on one of its feet, so as
to keep it from getting far away after it has brought about the capture
of a deer, and set it opposite wild deer when these are seen. As these
(_kalahara_) deer are singularly combative, advance to fight is made at
once. The two deer strike with their horns and push one another
backwards and forwards, during which the wild one's horns become
entangled in the net that is fast to the tame one's. If the wild one
would run away, the tame one does not go; it is impeded also by the
stone on its foot. People take many deer in this way; after capture they
tame them and use them in their turn to take others;[1758] they also set
them to fight at home; the deer fight very well.
There is a smaller deer (_kiyīk_) on the Hindūstān hill-skirts, as large
may-be as the one year's lamb of the _arqārghalcha_ (_Ovis poli_).
The _gīnī-cow_[1759] is another, a very small one, perhaps as large as
the _qūchqār_ (ram) of those countries (Tramontana). Its flesh is very
tender and savoury.
The monkey (_maimūn_) is another—a Hindūstānī calls it _bandar_. Of this
too there are many kinds, one being what people [Sidenote: Fol. 277.]
take to those countries. The jugglers (_lūlī_) teach them tricks. This
kind is in the mountains of Nūr-dara, in the skirt-hills of Safīd-koh
neighbouring on Khaibar, and from there downwards all through Hindūstān.
It is not found higher up. Its hair is yellow, its face white, its tail
not very long.—Another kind, not found in Bajaur, Sawād and those parts,
is much larger than the one taken to those countries (Tramontana). Its
tail is very long, its hair whitish, its face quite black. It is in the
mountains and jungles of Hindūstān.[1760]—Yet another kind is
distinguished (_būlā dūr_), quite black in hair, face and limbs.[1761]
The _nawal_ (_nūl_)[1762] is another. It may be somewhat smaller than
the _kīsh_. It climbs trees. Some call it the _mūsh-i-khūrma_
(palm-rat). It is thought lucky.
A mouse (T. _sīchqān_) people call _galāhrī_ (squirrel) is another. It
is just always in trees, running up and down with amazing alertness and
speed.[1763]
(_j. Fauna of Hindūstān:—Birds._)[1764]
The peacock (Ar. _ṯāūs_) is one. It is a beautifully coloured and
splendid animal. Its form (_andām_) is not equal to its colouring and
beauty. Its body may be as large as the crane's (_tūrna_) but it is not
so tall. On the head of both cock and hen are 20 to 30 feathers rising
some 2 or 3 inches high. The hen has neither colour nor beauty. The head
of the cock has an iridescent collar (_ṯauq sūsanī_); its neck is of a
beautiful blue; [Sidenote: Fol. 277b.] below the neck, its back is
painted in yellow, parrot-green, blue and violet colours. The
flowers[1765] on its back are much the smaller; below the back as far as
the tail-tips are [larger] flowers painted in the same colours. The tail
of some peacocks grows to the length of a man's extended arms.[1766] It
has a small tail under its flowered feathers, like the tail of other
birds; this ordinary tail and its primaries[1767] are red. It is in
Bajaur and Sawād and below them; it is not in Kunur [Kūnūr] and the
Lamghānāt or any place above them. Its flight is feebler than the
pheasant's (_qīrghāwal_); it cannot do more than make one or two short
flights.[1768] On account of its feeble flight, it frequents the hills
or jungles, which is curious, since jackals abound in the jungles it
frequents. What damage might these jackals not do to birds that trail
from jungle to jungle, tails as long as a man's stretch (_qūlāch_)!
Hindūstānīs call the peacock _mor_. Its flesh is lawful food, according
to the doctrine of Imām Abū Ḥanīfa; it is like that of the partridge and
not unsavoury, but is eaten with instinctive aversion, in the way
camel-flesh is.
The parrot (H. _ṯūṯī_) is another. This also is in Bajaur and countries
lower down. It comes into Nīngnahār and the Lamghānāt in the heats when
mulberries ripen; it is not there at other times. It is of many, many
kinds. One sort is that which people carry into those (Tramontane)
countries. They [Sidenote: Fol. 278.] make it speak words.—Another sort
is smaller; this also they make speak words. They call it the
jungle-parrot. It is numerous in Bajaur, Sawād and that neighbourhood,
so much so that 5 or 6000 fly in one flock (_khail_). Between it and the
one first-named the difference is in bulk; in colouring they are just
one and the same.—Another sort is still smaller than the jungle-parrot.
Its head is quite red, the top of its wings (_i.e._ the primaries) is
red also; the tip of its tail for two hands'-thickness is
lustrous.[1769] The head of some parrots of this kind is iridescent
(_sūsanī_). It does not become a talker. People call it the Kashmīr
parrot.—Another sort is rather smaller than the jungle-parrot; its beak
is black; round its neck is a wide black collar; its primaries are red.
It is an excellent learner of words.—We used to think that whatever a
parrot or a _shārak_ (_mīna_) might say of words people had taught it,
it could not speak of any matter out of its own head. At this
juncture[1770] one of my immediate servants Abū'l-qāsim _Jalāīr_,
reported a singular thing to me. A parrot of this sort whose cage must
have been covered up, said, "Uncover my face; I am stifling." And
another time when palkī bearers sat down to take breath, this parrot,
presumably on hearing wayfarers pass by, said, "Men are going past, are
you not going on?" Let credit rest with the narrator,[1771] but
never-the-less, so long as a person has not heard with his own ears, he
may not believe!—Another kind is of a beautiful [Sidenote: Fol. 278b.]
full red; it has other colours also, but, as nothing is distinctly
remembered about them, no description is made. It is a very beautiful
bird, both in colour and form. People are understood to make this also
speak words.[1772] Its defect is a most unpleasant, sharp voice, like
the drawing of broken china on a copper plate.[1773]
The (P.) _shārak_[1774] is another. It is numerous in the Lamghānāt and
abounds lower down, all over Hindūstān. Like the parrot, it is of many
kinds.—The kind that is numerous in the Lamghānāt has a black head; its
primaries (_qānāt_) are spotted, its body rather larger and
thicker[1775] than that of the (T.) _chūghūr-chūq_.[1776] People teach
it to speak words.—Another kind they call _p:ndāwalī_[1777]; they bring
it from Bengal; it is black all over and of much greater bulk than the
_shārak_ (here, house-_mīna_). Its bill and foot are yellow and on each
ear are yellow wattles which hang down and have a bad appearance.[1778]
It learns to speak well and clearly.—Another kind of _shārak_ is
slenderer than the last and is red round the eyes. It does not learn to
speak. People call it the wood-_shārak_.[1779] Again, at the time when
(934 AH.) I had made a bridge over Gang (Ganges), crossed it, and put my
adversaries to flight, a kind of _shārak_ was seen, in the neighbourhood
of Laknau and Aūd (Oude), for the first time, which had a white breast,
piebald head, and black back. This kind does not learn to speak.[1780]
The _lūja_[1781] is another. This bird they call (Ar.) _bū-qalamūn_
(chameleon) because, between head and tail, it has five or six changing
colours, resplendent (_barrāq_) like a pigeon's throat. [Sidenote: Fol.
279.] It is about as large as the _kabg-i-darī_[1782] and seems to be
the _kabg-i-darī_ of Hindūstān. As the _kabg-i-darī_ moves (_yūrūr_) on
the heads (_kulah_) of mountains, so does this. It is in the Nijr-aū
mountains of the countries of Kābul, and in the mountains lower down but
it is not found higher up. People tell this wonderful thing about
it:—When the birds, at the onset of winter, descend to the hill-skirts,
if they come over a vineyard, they can fly no further and are taken. God
knows the truth! The flesh of this bird is very savoury.
The partridge (_durrāj_)[1783] is another. This is not peculiar to
Hindūstān but is also in the _Garm-sīr_ countries[1784]; as however some
kinds are only in Hindūstān, particulars of them are given here. The
_durrāj_ (_Francolinus vulgaris_) may be of the same bulk as the
_kīklīk_[1785]; the cock's back is the colour of the hen-pheasant
(_qīrghāwal-ning māda-sī_); its throat and breast are black, with quite
white spots.[1786] A red line comes down on both sides of both
eyes.[1787] It is named from its cry[1788] which is something like _Shir
dāram shakrak_.[1789] It pronounces _shir_ short; _dāram shakrak_ it
says distinctly. Astarābād partridges are said to cry _Bāt mīnī tūtīlār_
(Quick! they have caught me). The partridge of Arabia and those parts is
understood to cry, _Bi'l_ _shakar tadawm al ni`am_ (with sugar pleasure
endures)! The hen-bird has the colour of the young pheasant. These birds
are found below Nijr-aū.—Another kind is called _kanjāl_. Its bulk may
be that of the one already described. Its voice is very like that of the
_kīklīk_ but much shriller. There is little [Sidenote: Fol. 279b.]
difference in colour between the cock and hen. It is found in
Parashāwar, Hashnagar and countries lower down, but not higher up.
The _p(h)ūl-paikār_[1790] is another. Its size may be that of the
_kabg-i-darī_; its shape is that of the house-cock, its colour that of
the hen. From forehead (_tūmāgh_) to throat it is of a beautiful colour,
quite red. It is in the Hindūstān mountains.
The wild-fowl (_ṣaḥrāī-tāūgh_)[1791] is another. It flies like a
pheasant, and is not of all colours as house-fowl are. It is in the
mountains of Bajaur and lower down, but not higher up.
The _chīlsī_ (or _jīlsī_)[1792] is another. In bulk it equals the
_p(h)ūl-paikār_ but the latter has the finer colouring. It is in the
mountains of Bajaur.
The _shām_[1793] is another. It is about as large as a house-fowl; its
colour is unique (_ghair mukarrar_).[1794] It also is in the mountains
of Bajaur.
The quail (P. _būdana_) is another. It is not peculiar to Hindūstān but
four or five kinds are so.—One is that which goes to our countries
(Tramontana), larger and more spreading than the (Hindūstān)
quail.[1795]—Another kind[1796] is smaller than the one first named. Its
primaries and tail are reddish. It flies in flocks like the _chīr_
(_Phasianus Wallichii_).—Another kind is smaller than that which goes to
our countries and is darker on throat [Sidenote: Fol. 280.] and
breast.[1797]—Another kind goes in small numbers to Kābul; it is very
small, perhaps a little larger than the yellow wag-tail
(_qārcha_)[1798]; they call it _qūrātū_ in Kābul.
The Indian bustard (P. _kharchāl_)[1799] is another. It is about as
large as the (T.) _tūghdāq_ (_Otis tarda_, the great bustard), and seems
to be the _tūghdāq_ of Hindūstān.[1800] Its flesh is delicious; of some
birds the leg is good, of others, the wing; of the bustard all the meat
is delicious and excellent.
The florican (P. _charz_)[1801] is another. It is rather less than the
_tūghdīrī_ (_houbara_)[1802]; the cock's back is like the _tūghdīrī's_,
and its breast is black. The hen is of one colour.
The Hindūstān sand-grouse (T. _bāghrī-qarā_)[1803] is another. It is
smaller and slenderer than the _bāghrī-qarā_ [_Pterocles arenarius_] of