12 ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE BOTANY OF 
It is generally well known that the bases of the mountains in India are every where 
covered with a thick, and often impenetrable jungle, and that a broad strip of this 
nature extends along the whole foot of the Himalaya from Chittagong to the Sutledge. 
This gradually diminishes in breadth and density the further we proceed to the north- 
ward, until in the country beyond the Jumna it is scarcely perceptible. 
The greater portion of the land occupied by this tract of jungle is low, and being 
inundated during the rainy season, as well as by the hill streams frequently overflowing 
their banks, is generally in a moist state, and has hence been called the Zurrai, or 
moist land. The powerful rays of a nearly vertical sun beating upon this, and a dense 
mass of vegetation, where there is little circulation of air, produce a heated and moist 
atmosphere highly favourable to the production of tropical plants. From the southern 
and eastern parts of this tract, on the confines of Silhet and Chittagong, Drs. Roxburgh 
and Wallich obtained their splendid specimens of tree-ferns, and numerous species of 
Scitaminea, of Epiphytal Orchidee, of Piperacee, Ebenacee, Bignoniacee, Myrtaceae, 
Byttneriacea, Malvaceae, Guttifere, Dipterocarpee, Anonacee and Dilleniacee. 
According, however, as we approach the north-western limits of this tract, so do we 
find that, as the same causes operate in a less degree, so does the jungle diminish in 
breadth and density, the country becomes drier, and the atmosphere less moist. In 
consequence, however, of the increased cold of the winter months, the more strikingly 
tropical forms disappear, and some of a European type by degrees make their appear- 
ance; but as there is still considerable heat combined with moisture, so do we find 
many of the plants which are common in Bengal and Silhet, in the Peninsula, and even 
in Java, creeping to a much higher northern latitude along this favourable tract, than 
they can do in the open plains. 
In the most northern parts, the jungle consists generally of large trees and long 
grass ; the latter is annually burnt down for the purpose of allowing cattle to feed upon 
the young blade, which immediately shoots up on the removal of the old grass. The 
low range of hills is covered with trees and herbaceous vegetation, and the valley of 
Deyra, in the uncleared parts, with dense and almost impenetrable forests. It is 
unnecessary at present to take separate notice of the distinctions in the Flora of these 
low hills and of the valley, as there is between them a general uniformity, adapting 
each for the support of many of the animals and plants which occur in perfection in 
more southern latitudes. For though the rhinoceros and wild buffalo are not found to 
the northward of the Ganges, the elephant here reaches his most northern limit. 
Tigers, leopards, hyenas, lynxes, and bears are common, as well as Simia rhesus and 
Entellus, together with the stag, the spotted and hog deers, with the four-horned 
antelope. The jungle fowl, florikin and leek (Otis Bengalensis and auritus), horn-bill, 
and a green pigeon (Columba Javanica), with Picus Bengalensis, are common as birds ; 
and the Papilio parakekte is remarkable as a butterfly found also by Dr. Horsfield in 
Java. A species of Boa constrictor is found in the lower hills as well as in those of 
Central India. As indicating the vicinity of a cooler climate, a species of pheasant 
(P. leuconotus) 
