_Babul._ _Acacia arabica._ A thorny tree.
_Badmash._ A bad character, a ruffian.
_Barsath._ Rain.
_Bhabar._ The waterless tract of forest-clad land between the Himalayas
and the _Terai_. It is from ten to fifteen miles in breadth and higher
than the general level of the plains.
_Chaprassi._ Lit. a badgeman. A servant who runs messages, an orderly.
_Chik._ A number of thin pieces of bamboo strung together to form a
curtain. Thin chiks are usually hung in front of doors in India with the
object of keeping out flies but not air. Chiks of stouter make are hung
from the verandah in order to keep out the sun.
_Chit._ Short for _Chitti_, a letter or testimonial.
_Coolie._ An unskilled labourer.
_Dhak._ _Butea frondosa._ A common tree in low jungle.
_Dhobi._ Washerman.
_Dirzie._ Tailor.
_Farash._ _Tamarix indica._
_Gali galoj._ Abuse.
_Jhil._ A lake, broad tank, or any natural depression which is filled
with rain water at certain seasons or permanently.
_Kankar, or Kunkar._ Lumps of limestone with which roads are metalled in
Northern India.
_Kannaut._ The sides of a tent.
_Khansamah._ Cook.
_Khud._ A deep valley.
_Mali._ Gardener.
_Murghi._ Barndoor Fowl.
_Neem._ _Azadirachta melia_, a common tree in India.
_Paddy._ Growing rice.
_Puggarree._ A turban.
_Ryot._ A cultivator, small farmer.
_Sal._ The iron-wood tree (_Shorea robusta_).
_Sahib._ Master, sir, gentleman; a term used to denote a European.
_Shikar._ Hunting or shooting.
_Shikari._ (1) The man who goes hunting or shooting. (2) The native who
accompanies him and directs the beat.
_Terai._ Lit. “Moist land.” A marshy tract of land about twelve miles
broad, between the _Bhabar_ and the plains proper. It is low-lying.
_Tiffin._ Lunch.
_Topi._ A sun-helmet.
With the exception of _British Birds in the Plains of India_, which
appeared in _The Civil and Military Gazette_, and _The Indian Corby,
Birds in the Rain_, and _Do Animals Think?_ which came out in _The Times
of India_, the articles which compose this book made their _debût_ in one
or other of the following papers: _The Madras Mail_, _The Indian Field_,
_The Englishman_.
The author takes this opportunity of thanking the editors of the
above-named newspapers for permission to reproduce these essays.