Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057345).pdf/160

 152 KHE The police statistics are erroneous in so far that in some cases apparent- ly the whole mortality of the season, c.ex, the wet months, has been entered for October alone, but only in a few instances I think. A much more serious defect is that returns were given for only 364 villages out of 1,690. I know of enormous losses never reported. I have before me muy own notes taken in more than 50 villages, and they support the calculation that one-fourth of the cattle have perished. So far as they go they are quite reliable, as every cultivator and his individual losses were counted up and verified before me. Fizuna.-The wild animals are those common to north Oudh Black buck abound in Aurangabad, Magdapur, Atwa Piparia, everywhere between the Guiti and the Kathna, also across that river in Bhíra. They are met with, but in smaller number, on the west bank of the Gumti and near the Sukheta, also on the watershed between the Kauriála and the Chauka from Dhaurahra by Nighúsaur to Palia. Spotted deer are found along both banks of the Kathna, and everywhere in the jungles of Kukra Mailáni and Khairigarh. Níl-gáe abound along the banks of the Kauriála in Dhaurahra and Firozabad; on the Chauka near the villages Srinagar and Barágáon the berds are enormous, and do a great deal of damage. They are tolerably numerous everywhere throughout the dis- trict, being preserved by the popular veneration in jungles such as Kauria, on the Ul, in the midst of high cultivation and dense populatin. Hog- doer used to abound on the Uí, but have now disappeared. They are still metwith in great numbers in the ravincs and ancient watercourses now filled with lofty grass, which are found in Khairigarh and Kukra Múilani, also in the savannahs and marshes which lie on each side of the Chanka. Gond are found along the Chauka, specially near Kámp in Bhúr, and south of the Sukheta iu Dhaurahra. Tiger are to be met with every- where in the Khairigarh pargana, also near Kukra, and in the grassy morasses which lie along the Baraoncha before its junction with the UI. South of the Suheli also tigers are sometimes encountered. They abound at Newalkhár, on the old bank of the Chauka; and in the forests south of Aliganj some are found. Five years ago they were to be met wita in pargana Dhaurahra, at Matera, in one of the curves of the ancient channel where the Kauriála ran centuries ago; but either the increase of population or the greater dryness of the neighbourhood has driven them away. In Haidarabad also tigers, up to u recent date, came down the Kathna coppices from the tarái forest, and were killed south of Muhamải and Mitauli. Their numbers have now been much diminished even in the few strongholds which they yet retain. In 1860 it was not uncommon for a party to kill five tigers in a day; now five in a week is regarded a great Leopards are numerous in Atwa Piparia, Kukra Mailáni, and Khairigarh. During the rains they are killed in villages, even on the roofs of houses. The Pásis slaughter many annually for the sake of the sking. The following is a fairly complete list of all the animals indigenous to Kheri, but it is doubtful whether the elephant, the wild buffalo, and wild cattle are still found there, although they have been recently :- Indian elephant Elephas indicus, Samber 1. Rusa Aristotelis. Wild swine . Sus indicus. Spotted deer Asis maculatus Swamp deer Rucervus Duvaucelli. Hog decr Axis porcinus, Sliccess.