NASIK. 229 wild animals, tigers, leopards, bears, antelopes, and spotted deer are found. History.—From the 2nd century B.C. to the 2nd century A.D. the District was under rulers, notably the Andhrabrityás, who patronized Buddhism, and some of whom are supposed to have had a capital at l'aithan, 110 miles below Násik. Among other early Hindu dynasties were the Chalukyas, the Ráthods, and the Chandor and Deogiri Jádavas. The Muhamınadan period lasted from 1295 to 1760, during which the District was successively under the Viceroy's of Dcogiri (Daulatábad), the Bahmanis of Kulbarga, the Nizam Shális of Almadnagar, and the Mughals of Aurangzíbád. The Maráthá ascendency lasted from 1760 until 1818, when the British power crushed the last of the Pesliwas. Since then, twice only has the peace of the District been disturbedonce in 18+3, when serious breaches of order arose on the slaughter of a cow by some Europeans in Násik; and again in 1857, when some Rohillás, Arabs, and Bhils gathered under the outlaw, Bhágojí. Population.—The Census returns of 1872 disclosed a total population of 737,755, that of 1881 a total of 781,206 persons, residing in 8 towns and 1625 villages, and in 122,816 Occupied houses; unoccupied houses were returned at 29,736; density of the population, 13151 persons per square mile ; villages per square mile, oʻ2 ; houses per square mile, 25*6; persons per village, 472 ; persons per house, 6'36. Classified according to sex, there were 397,404 males and 383,802 females; proportion of males, 50'8 per cent. Classified according to age, there were—under 15 years, males 169,846, and females 161,401 ; total children, 331,247, or 42-42 per cent. of the population : and of 15 years and upwards there were 227,558 males and 222,401 females; total adults, 449,959, or 57.58 per cent. Religious divisions—Hindus, 683,579; Musalmáns, 35,294 ; Pársis, 288; Christians, 2644; Jews, 101 ; Jains, 7609; Sikhs, 2 ; Buddhists, 2; and aboriginal tribes, 51,687, almost all Bhíls. The Hindus were divided into the followinig main castes and social distinctions:-Brahmans, 29,053 ; Rajputs, 7003; Berads, 291; Bhandaris, 56; Chamárs, 10,003 ; Darjís, 7492 ; Dhangars, 14,889; Dhobis, 3029; Nais, 7418; Jangams, 466 ; Kunbis, 276,359; Kolís, 78,558; Koshtís, 2663; Kumbhárs, 4508; Lingayats, 1608; Lohárs, 3877; Mális, 25,094; Mángs, 6323; Dhers, 70,351 ; Sonárs, 9540; Sutárs, 7427; Telís, 11,158; and Banjárás, 29,393. The Muhammadans were divided thus—Patháns, 5089; Sayyids, 1794; Shaikhs, 27,641; and others,' 770. Of the 2644 Christians, 1281 were Episcopalians, 1021 Roman Catholics, and 147 Presbyterians. As regards occupation, the males were distributed by the Census of 1881 into the following six main groups :-(1) Professional class, including State officials of every kind and members of the learned professions, 12,500; (2) commercial class, including bankers nierchants,
