TO THIBET. 41 
for nothing may come of them; but you may be sure my best 
efforts to investigate the country will not be wanting, and that 
I shall eagerly avail myself of every opportunity which the present 
expedition may afford. 
I have already met with many productions of the Altai. I 
gathered Chamerhodos (a Rosacea,) the other day, which, unless 
Jacquemont found it, is new to Kunawur. The same is the case 
also with the Black Currant, if distinct from our common species. 
Royle publishes many plants from Kunawur ; but the localities are 
incorrectly given in his book, owing, apparently, to the native 
collectors having always stated the name of the nearest town. 
or halting place, instead of the mountain where the speci- . 
mens were gathered. Thus Lippa, Soongnum, Rogee, and 
Pangee, are all at elevations of from 8—9,000 feet; while it was at B 
12—15,000 feet that those northern forms of plants were found, 
for which those much lower spots are erroneously cited. Marsh 
plants, however, sometimes descend a good way farther down. 
Thus Potentilla anserina, a small variety, having foliage glabrous 
on both sides, occurs as low as 10,000 feet, but only near water. 
Royle’s collectors must have been extremely diligent : hardly any- 
thing seems to have escaped them. I have gathered a few seeds, 
which I shall send to Simla, with a request that the Government 
Secretary will frank them to Sir William Hooker. By-and-bye 
I hope to have more. It is worth while trying these, even if 
they should not prove new or valuable: I shall forward duplicates — 
of them to Saharampore, and so give them a double chance ; and | 
if they germinate there, and are worth sending to England, it can 
be done with no difficulty. I am not neglecting the Acotyledones, 
but they are few in number in these arid regions, save Lichens, 
which grow plentifully on the stones. I have only found one or 
two species of Ferns, and they are very alpine: the Lycopodia 
have also disappeared. Hardly any Mosses produce capsules at 
this season: probably in the cold weather, when going down the 
Indus, I may meet with them in fructification. | 
I cannot remember that I have much more to communicate. 
VOL. II. | om | | 
