MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 931 



Now it would be an impertinence on my part to venture to criticize any of 

 Major Wall's notes, nor should I so venture, did I not suspect that he, decoyed 

 by the siren sound of the final—" a " and preoccupied by other details of 

 greater importance, had overlooked for the moment the derivation of the 

 generic name. 



The name, I fancy, is compounded of two Greek words " lygodes " 

 (or some cognate word) meaning " flexible " and " soma " " a body," the latter 

 term being neuter. In accordance with this Mr. Boulenger writes " Lygosoma 

 indicum " in his "Fauna of B. I., Reptilia." 



The undesirability of attempting to reconstruct scientific mongrel forms 

 which have become established by usage is admitted : but I hope that Major 

 Wall will pardon my bringing to his notice this minor point, which I advance 

 as an appeal for uniformity among the members of one Society, particularly 

 when that uniformity is possible and scientific. 



F. E. W. VENNING. 



Haka, Chin Hills, )st August 1908. 



No. XXXV. -SHOOTING NOTES FROM THE GARHWAL 



HIMALAYAS. 



Being unable to obtain leave earlier in the season of 1908, 1 left Bhim Tal 

 via Almorah for the Garhwal Highlands somewhat late, viz., May 26th, for a 

 shot at a Tahr. I was however, owing to the late rains, able to get up to a 

 height of 13,000 feet and attain my object and get back to Bhim Tal before the 

 rains broke towards the end of June. 



Some heavy showers and one stormy night of wind and rain were experienced 

 on the top of the Gwaldom Tea Estate, but this caused us very little inconve- 

 nience. 



At Gwaldom, Mr. Nash, the owner of a group of tea estates, kindly allowed us 

 to pitch our tents on a fine bit of turf just above the tea and on the edge of the 

 jungle, a secluded spot and surrounded by pines, commanding a magnificent 

 view of Trisul, 23,406 feet above sea level. The next day, while having tea in 

 the verandah of this gentleman's hospitable bungalow. I caught sight of an 

 ice-axe leaning against the coping, and was told it belonged to Doctor Longstaff. 

 We were afterwards shewn many photographs taken by that intrepid climber of 

 the snow ranges of Europe and the Himalayas. It may be remembered that 

 he reached the top of Trisul with three companions, two being Swiss guides 

 and the tfhird the Subedar-Major of the 5th Gurkhas. 



It was the last named who, when asked what he had seen from the top, 

 replied : " Almora, Bombay, the Kala Pani and England " ; asked how he knew 

 it was England, he replied " have I not been there?" As indeed he had. with 

 Major Bruce in the Coronation year. 



