302 MR. H. H. W. PEARSON ON THE 
The loftiest range of the Island runs through the plateau in a 
general N.N.W. direction from Kirigalpotta (7531 ft.), through 
Totapella (7740 ft.), Pedurutalagala (the highest mountain in 
the island, 8296 ft.), and False Peduru (6782 ft.) to the neigh- 
bourhood of Kandy, sending out numerous important lateral 
spurs. The situation of this range, as will be seen later, is of 
supreme importance in determining the climatic conditions 
which prevail on either side of it, and which have a very striking 
effect upon the vegetation. On the western slopes of this ridge, 
from the summit downwards, the land was originally completely 
forest-clad. Except at higher elevations this forest has, to a 
very large extent, disappeared before the invasion of coffee and 
tea plantations; and it is now difficult to realize what the country 
was like before the destruction of so much of its forest took 
place. Where still standing, the forest consists of small hard- 
wooded, slow-glowing trees with small erect coriaceous leaves, 
belonging principally to species of Hugenia, Calophyllum, Litsea, 
Actinodaphne, Gordonia, Eleocarpus, Symplocos (2), ete., with a 
dense shrubby undergrowth of Strobilanthes, dwarf Bamboos, 
Begonias, ete. 
Very different, however, is the aspect of the country on the 
eastern side of the ridge. The descent is not so steep, nor are 
the valleys so deep as on the western side. On this side of the 
ridge, a forest of the western type is found only upon the lateral 
spurs which extend for some distance in an easterly direction ; 
in the valleys between them and on the lower undulating plains 
beyond, for a distance of 25 miles, there is a striking abseuce of 
forest growth, and the country presents all the characters of a 
savannah. This expanse—known as the “ Uva Patana-lands ” *— 
terminates in the south in the sharp ridge of Haputale (4400 ft.) ; 
while from near its eastern boundary rises the forest-covered mass 
of Namunukuli (6680 ft.). This district comprises by far the 
larger area of the patana-lands, and in it the observations re- 
corded here were made. Minor developments of the same type 
of vegetation are found in other parts of the mountain-system ; 
and, although a few of these were examined, the results are not 
mentioned, except in so far as may be necessary for comparison 
with the larger and more typical area. 
* Deng, for the most part, in the province of Uva. 
