Storia do Mogor 264.7

264.7

Equally I do not like to pass on without a mention of the cunning of certain birds, that in the Mogul country are called colong (kuling). They arrive in the month of September from the lands of Tartary and the mountains of Kashmir to feed in the regions of Hindustan. Then in the month of March, when the hot season begins in the Mogul country, they return whence they came. They are of the size of a turkey-cock or cock of India, of ashen colour, legs two spans in length, the neck of three spans, the beak 5 inches long. Usually they arrive in flocks of over five hundred, and they descend upon the fields or marshes. They live upon grain, and not upon shell-fish. When in repose they stand all close together, the head under the wing, and one foot raised. Four of them at some little distance from the resting-place march back and fore as sentinels, equally by day as by night. The hunter gets near with great difficulty, the sentinels being very vigilant. On the least suspicion, one of them, stretching out its neck, cries in a low voice, while the other sentries reply in the same way. By great care the hunter arrives closer, when, suspicion being further aroused, they cry again, a little louder than the first time. In the same manner the others reply, and increase their efforts to discover what is wrong. When they perceive there is some danger they cry aloud, so that all the flock awakes, and with a long run they make off with loud cries.