yet again ... getting lost ... then enjoying self-discovery ...

This note finds place in JBNHS 111(1), Jan - Apr 2014.   FERRET-BADGER RECORDS FROM MIZORAM, MEGHALAYA AND NAGALAND, INDIA Nimesh Ved 1 and Laltlanhlua Zathang 2 1 Srinivas Nagar, Padmarao Nagar, Secunderabad , Telangana, 500 061, India. Email: Nimesh.ved@gmail.com 2 Tuikal South, Aizawl, Mizoram 796 001, India. Email: Tlana_z@yahoo.com   Introduction In India ferret-badgers are restricted to the tropical and subtropical forests and grasslands of northeast India (Datta 2008). This region, comprising the states of Assam, Aru­nachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Tripura, forms a part of the biodiversity “hotspots” of the world (My­ers et al. 2000; Ved and Lalramnuna 2008). Ferret-badgers are nocturnal, usually active at dusk. Like most badgers they live in holes dug by themselves or in burrows of other animals, and in rock crevices. They are good climbers and often sleep on the branches of trees. They are omnivorous and known to feed o

The Flame Trees of Thika Memories of an African Childhood Elspeth Huxley VINTAGE CLASSICS London Some books are like friends; one wants to continue reading them and also leave some pages for later. One is interrupted only by some stunner of a line that bowls one over. Thoughts would cross one’s mind as one read, accompanied with the dilemma of whether one should dwell on these or flip the page and experience more of ‘that’ world. With friends, as one meets after a while, one wants to chat and chat; the only likeable interruption in a long conversation is possibly that of another experience ( one has just remembered ) to share. Also one wishes for the talks to go on for a long time. I missed this book the morning after it was over, in the manner one misses friends. What a life the author had? What an arena to learn of life? A ‘ free ’ childhood amidst nature, of learning beyond books, of interactions with people culturally distant, of listening to numerous

Which way will we walk? A story from mother’s tales and imaginary hot air balloons Nimesh Ved, Tobias Dorr and Daniela Boos Third and final story on IYCN's Agent of Change project. Dur ing school days, of which I have endearing memories, my mother used to teach me mathematics during evenings. This primarily dealt with basics of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. This ‘ rough-work’ as it was then referred to, used to take place, on most occasions, on envelopes. Reverse of envelopes that had brought in letters, news-papers and magazines; after scraping them open with foot-rulers. White and colourful, large and small, it used to be fun to tear and get them ready for use.  Mot her’s point was ( and still is ), to use a thing – big or small, expensive or otherwise – optimally and explore alternate use after the article was rendered unfit for its primary usage. Added to this was the dictum of only buying items that one needed. The se values I someho