The Memoirs of Bābur 932.10
The Bābur-nāma in English (A. S. Beveridge) 932.10
- Language
- English
932.10.1
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.
932.10.2
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.
932.10.3
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 those countries (Tramontana). Also its cry is sharper. Of the birds that frequent water and the banks of rivers, one is the _dīng_,[1804] an animal of great bulk, each wing measuring a _qūlāch_ (fathom). It has no plumage (_tūqī_) on head or neck; a thing like a bag hangs from its neck; its back is black; its breast is white. It goes sometimes to Kābul; one year people brought one they had caught. It became very tame; if meat were thrown to it, it never failed to catch it in its bill. Once it swallowed a six-nailed shoe, another time a whole fowl, wings [Sidenote: Fol. 280b.] and feathers, all right down.
932.10.4
The _sāras_ (_Grus antigone_) is another. Turks in Hindūstān call it _tīwa-tūrnā_ (camel-crane). It may be smaller than the _dīng_ but its neck is rather longer. Its head is quite red.[1805] People keep this bird at their houses; it becomes very tame. The _mānek_[1806] is another. In stature it approaches the _sāras_, but its bulk is less. It resembles the _lag-lag_ (_Ciconia alba_, the white stork) but is much larger; its bill is larger and is black. Its head is iridescent, its neck white, its wings partly-coloured; the tips and border-feathers and under parts of the wings are white, their middle black. Another stork (_lag-lag_) has a white neck and all other parts black. It goes to those countries (Tramontana). It is rather smaller than the _lag-lag_ (_Ciconia alba_). A Hindūstānī calls it _yak-rang_ (one colour?). Another stork in colour and shape is exactly like the storks that go to those countries. Its bill is blacker and its bulk much less than the _lag-lag_'s (_Ciconia alba_).[1807] Another bird resembles the grey heron (_aūqār_) and the _lag-lag_; but its bill is longer than the heron's and its body smaller than the white stork's (_lag-lag_). Another is the large _buzak_[1808] (black ibis). In bulk it may equal the buzzard (Turkī, _sār_). The back of its wings is white. It has a loud cry.
932.10.5
The white _buzak_[1809] is another. Its head and bill are black. [Sidenote: Fol. 281.] It is much larger than the one that goes to those countries,[1810] but smaller than the Hindūstān _buzak_.[1811] The _gharm-pāī_[1812] (spotted-billed duck) is another. It is larger than the _sūna būrchīn_[1813] (mallard). The drake and duck are of one colour. It is in Hashnagar at all seasons, sometimes it goes into the Lamghānāt. Its flesh is very savoury. The _shāh-murgh_ (_Sarcidiornis melanonotus_, comb duck or _nukta_) is another. It may be a little smaller than a goose. It has a swelling on its bill; its back is black; its flesh is excellent eating. The _zummaj_ is another. It is about as large as the _būrgūt_ (_Aquila chrysaetus_, the golden eagle). The (T.) _ālā-qārgha_ of Hindūstān is another (_Corvus cornix_, the pied crow). This is slenderer and smaller than the _ālā-qārgha_ of those countries (Tramontana). Its neck is partly white. Another Hindūstān bird resembles the crow (T. _qārcha_, _C. splendens_) and the magpie (Ar. _`aqqa_). In the Lamghānāt people call it the jungle-bird (P. _murgh-i-jangal_).[1814] Its head and breast are black; its wings and tail reddish; its eye quite red. Having a feeble flight, it does not come out of the jungle, whence its name.
932.10.6
The great bat (P. _shapara_)[1815] is another. People call it (Hindī) _chumgādur_. It is about as large as the owl (T. _yāpālāq_, _Otus brachyotus_), and has a head like a puppy's. When it is thinking of lodging for the night on a tree, it takes hold of a branch, turns head-downwards, and so remains. It has much singularity. The magpie (Ar. _`aqqa_) is another. People call it (H.?) _matā_ (_Dendrocitta rufa_, the Indian tree-pie). It may be somewhat less than the _`aqqa_ (_Pica rustica_), which moreover is pied black and white, while the _matā_ is pied brown and black.[1816] Another is a small bird, perhaps of the size of the (T.) _sāndūlāch_.[1817] [Sidenote: Fol. 281b.] It is of a beautiful red with a little black on its wings. The _karcha_[1818] is another; it is after the fashion of a swallow (T. _qārlūghāch_), but much larger and quite black. The _kūīl_[1819] (_Eudynamys orientalis_, the koel) is another. It may be as large as the crow (P. _zāg_) but is much slenderer. It has a kind of song and is understood to be the bulbul of Hindūstān. Its honour with Hindūstānīs is as great as is the bulbul's. It always stays in closely-wooded gardens. Another bird is after the fashion of the (Ar.) _shiqarrāk_ (_Cissa chinensis_, the green-magpie). It clings to trees, is perhaps as large as the green-magpie, and is parrot-green (_Gecinus striolatus_, the little green-woodpecker?). (_k. Fauna of Hindūstān:—Aquatic animals._)
932.10.7
One is the water-tiger (P. _shīr-ābī_, _Crocodilus palustris_).[1820] This is in the standing-waters. It is like a lizard (T. _gīlās_).[1821] People say it carries off men and even buffaloes. The (P.) _siyāh-sār_ (black-head) is another. This also is like a lizard. It is in all rivers of Hindūstān. One that was taken and brought in was about 4-5 _qārī_ (_cir._ 13 feet) long and as thick perhaps as a sheep. It is said to grow still larger. Its snout is over half a yard long. It has rows of small teeth in its upper and lower jaws. It comes out of the water and sinks into the mud (_bātā_). The (Sans.) _g[h]aṛīāl_ (_Gavialus gangeticus_) is another.[1822] It is said to grow large; many in the army saw it in the Sarū (Gogra) river. It is said to take people; while we were on that river's banks (934-935 A.H.), it took one or two slave-women (_dādūk_), and it took three or four camp-followers between Ghāzīpūr and Banāras. In that neighbourhood I saw one but from a distance only and not quite clearly.