egy seems wcenaaenatatntien omsinenenanmeegime mma 
THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINS. i] 
attended the attempts which have been made, particularly when we take into con- 
sideration that countries which have many valuable productions of their own, have 
already possessed themselves of those which were originally peculiar to India. It is of 
some parts of China and Japan, as well as of America, New Holland, and the Cape, 
parts of Persia, Arabia, and the north of Africa, corresponding in latitude and a good 
deal in climate, particularly in having hot summers and rather cold winters, that it 
would be the most desirable to acquire the productions, whether these be the gift of 
Nature, or the result of the successful application of Art. 
The distribution of the animal kingdom does not present any thing requiring particular 
notice, except in those which are migratory, for the others being always subject to the 
influence of temperature, partake of the uniformity in distribution all over India, which 
we have seen to characterize the climate and vegetation. 
The camel, buffalo, and bullock form the beasts of burden; the latter alone used 
for agricultural purposes; though the climate and soil being dry, and the pasturage 
good, the district is favourable to horses, and the breed has been of late years much 
improved by means of the Company’s stud. Tigers were formerly common in the very 
centre of the district, but the increase of cultivation has removed the jungles, with its 
inmates, to the outskirts: now the antelope roams over the plains, and the peacock is 
found near most villages where there are groves of trees. The other M/ammaiia are those 
common in almost every part of India. The otters, which are very abundant near all 
the rivulets, are perhaps less common in the southern provinces. The rattel is con- 
sidered only a variety of that found at the Cape, while the caracal is identical with that 
found in Persia and the north of Africa. With regard to the feathered creation the 
variety is greater, as they have the power of changing their habitation according to the 
seasons. In the rains numerous Grad/@ and Anseres make their appearance ; among the 
latter the pelican, with many, towards the close of the season and in the cold weather, 
which are well known as English ducks and teal. The Chinese jacana and purple 
gallinule are also seen, as well as coots and rails; together with the ibis, curlew, bittern, 
and egret. The different kinds of game, as black and grey partridge, quail and snipe, 
and among the latter, Scolopar capensis. The starling, oriole, and cuckoo, make their 
appearance chiefly in the spring. The insects met with are those common in every part 
of India, and several have been recognized in my collection by Mr. Wilson Saunders 
as also found by him at Calcutta and Madras. Of these may be instanced the fire-fly, 
which attracts every one’s attention, as well as several of the Coleoptera, as the Copris 
Molossus, Lamia rubus ; and of butterflies, Papilio Epius, Vanessa Almana, Pieris hyparote, 
Terias Hecabe, Eublea Plerippus, and Phalanta antica, are among others which are 
common in the northern, as in the most southern parts of India,* 
It 
* These, together with some hill specimens, have been examined and named by Mr. Samouelle, of the 
British Museum, to whom I feel much indebted for his kindness, 
c2 
