[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Mughals (1526–1857)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal) › [Bābur (1526–1530)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.babur) › [Bāburnāma](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.babur.baburnama) › [The Babur-nama in English (A. S. Beveridge)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.babur.baburnama~en-beveridge) › 932.10 # The Memoirs of Bābur 932.10 The Bābur-nāma in English (A. S. Beveridge) 932.10 - **Language:** English ### [932.10.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.babur.baburnama~en-beveridge.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](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.babur.baburnama~en-beveridge.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](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.babur.baburnama~en-beveridge.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](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.babur.baburnama~en-beveridge.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](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.babur.baburnama~en-beveridge.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](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.babur.baburnama~en-beveridge.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](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.babur.baburnama~en-beveridge.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. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.babur.baburnama~en-beveridge.932.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.babur.baburnama~en-beveridge.932.10) · Pramāṇa