07-01-063

KONKAN STANDARD.

63

　Kub has been returned from the sea-coast of Thana and Janjira, and specimens have also been received from Poona. Estimates of the number of speakers are only available from Thana and Janjira. The revised figures for those districts are-

　The gris are a class of husbandmen, usually considered to be Ks. Most of them are salt makers and tillers of salt rice land. They are reported as speaking a separate dialect in Kolaba, where they are chiefly found in the villages on both sides of the Amba River in the Pen and Alibak Talukas, in villages situated on the creeks of the Panwel Taluka, and in all the villages of the Uran Peta. Their number has been estimated at 22,826.

　The Dhangars or shepherds have often been reported to speak a dialect of their own. The so-called Dhangar of Chhindwara will be dealt with in connection with the other dialects of that district. It is quite different from the dialect of the shepherds in the Bombay presidency, where Dhangar has been returned from Thana, the Jawhar State, Janjira, and Belgaum. The following are the local estimates of the number of speakers:-

　Bhr is the dialect spoken by the Bhrs, or palm-juice drawers. It has been reported as a distinct form of speech from Kolaba and Janjira, and the number of speakers has been estimated as follows:-

　The hkurs are one of the early tribes, and they are found all over Gujarat, the Dekhan, and the Konkan. They are considered to be the descendants of Rjputs and Ks. hkr has been returned as a separate language from Kolaba and Nasik, and the number of speakers has been estimated as follows:-

　Karh is the dialect spoken by the Karh Brhmas in Sawantwadi, Ratnagiri, and Bombay Town and Island. They are supposed to take their name from Karhad in Satara. Estimates of their num- ber are only available from Bombay Town and Island, where they are said to number about 2,000.