190 Dr. Griffith on the Vegetation of Afghanistan, 



shrubs." A female was procured breeding : the nest, made of 

 grass, was pendent from the branches of a small bush ; she 

 alone was the architect, both carrying and weaving the mate- 

 rials ; the male was not observed to assist in any way. 

 October 6, 1842. 



XXXI. — Extracts from a Report on subjects connected with 

 Afghanistan. By Dr. Griffith, F.L.S.* 



General Nature of Afghan Vegetation. 



Before entering on a few brief notices of those vegetable 

 productions which are not cultivated, but which administer to 

 the wants of the people, it may be as well to premise a few 

 popular remarks on the general nature of the Afghan vege- 

 tation. No parallel can be drawn between the Afghan flora 

 and that of India in any part ; for even in the lower parts of 

 the country, but very little elevated above the general level of 

 our extreme N.W. provinces, the flora of Afghanistan is deci- 

 dedly peculiar. 



The transition commences, as may be said, along the Sut- 

 leje : on the Ferozepoor route it is gradual, on that of Shi- 

 karpore it is much more abrupt. At Peshawur, which is in 

 north latitude 34°, and about 1200 feet above the sea, it is 

 tolerably mature ; still there is an intermingling of Indian spe- 

 cies, and this continues, gradually becoming less, until one 

 ascends to Gundamuk. 



In Kutch Gundava the Indian forms are less frequent ; in- 

 deed it may be said that by the Ferozepoor route the Indian 

 species encroach on the Afghan territory ; in Kutch Gundava 

 the Afghan species encroach on the Indian territory. 



The Afghan transitionary forms are various : Boraginece, 

 Reseda, Chenopodice, Bertholletia, Farselia, Medicago, Buto- 

 mus, Peganum Harmali, Nerium Oleander, Alhagi Marorum ? 

 The Indian transitionary forms consist of Calotropis procera, 

 certain Amaranthacece and Chenopodice, certain Saccharineous 

 and Paniceous grasses, Acacia, Arabica and pudica, Prosopis 

 spicigera and Dalbergia Sissoo. 



To gain a just idea of the Afghan flora, we must compare 

 it with that of the Levant, and perhaps with the greater part 

 of the basin of the Mediterranean, with which it may be said 

 to correspond in latitude. With the general flora of Persia 

 it may be regarded as continuous. 



Few things can be more striking or worthy of comprehen- 

 sive investigation than this vast extent of the Mediterranean 



* From the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. No. 36. New Series. 



