THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINS. 31 
In addition to the vallies of Cashmere and Nepal, we may notice the peculiarities of 
vegetation in another set of vallies—those which constitute river beds. These forming 
inclined slopes, of which the lower end rests on the plains of India and the upper at 
the sources of rivers touching the limits of perpetual congelation, will present every 
variety of temperature and organic life to be met with in ascending the mountains 
themselves. Hence, according to thé part of these vallies which we examine, we 
may meet with either the plants of tropical or of alpine regions ; and this will explain 
the anomaly which frequently presents itself in finding so many plants requiring quite 
different climates enumerated as occurring in the same locality. 
Thus, if we notice the vegetation on the banks of either the Ganges or Jumna, where 
they emerge from the mountains into the plains, we shall find it perfectly tropical, 
and jungly; consisting of bamboos, ratans, and such trees as saul, toon, sissoo, 
and ebony, with many others enumerated as forming the tract of jungle which runs 
along the foot of the hills. Thirty miles higher up we have the banks of both 
rivers covered with Alders and Pinus longifolia; still further up we have species of 
Olea, Eleagnus, Hippophae and Frazinus Xanthoryloides ; but if we ascend to the 
sources themselves of the two rivers near Gangotri and Jumnotri, we shall see only the 
plants 
Anemone, Adonis, Rosa, Rubus, Fragaria, Berberis, Geranium, Viola, Parnassia, Lonicera, Euonymus, Viburnum, 
Salix, Salvia, Wulfenia, Scutellaria, Lysimachia, Daphne, Plantago, and Lobelia. The gigantic L. excelsa 
attains there an elevation of twelve feet. 
The plants allied to tropical genera are both herbaceous and perennial ; the former we may suppose occur in 
the rainy season, while the exact localities of the latter not being given, we are unable to form any inferences 
respecting the climate ; but the greatest cold, if not long continued, will not be fatal to many, as several of the 
same genera exist in the northern provinces of India. The herbaceous genera alluded to are Canna, Costus, 
Hedychium, Curcuma, Begonia, Piper, Melastoma, Osbeckia, Sonerila, Impatiens, together with species of Sida, 
Crotalaria, Callicarpa, Convolvulus, Thunbergia, Solanum, and Ardisia, as small shrubs; while species of 
Grewia, Sterculia, Kydia, Strychnos, and Syzygium exist as trees; but these are probably not found in the 
highest parts. Species of Pittosporum and Lantana are also found here ; and — tomentosa affords an 
edible berry. 
The grains cultivated are nearly the same as those of Northern India, consisting of wheat, barley, millet, 
mustard, peas, in the cold weather, and the smaller grains during the monsoons, though rice does. not at all 
succeed. The svil and climate are most favourable for gardening, as all kinds of European vegetables are 
described as attaining an enormous size, and some as living for two or three years. The climate is equally 
favourable for European fruit-trees, but the early accession of the rainy season prevents the proper ripening of 
the fruit of many, though some requiring a shorter season produce very fine fruit. aaincsieae live, but de 
not thrive in the Neelgherries. 
The animal kingdom displays the same mixture of European and tropical forms as we have seen existing 
among vegetables. Many of the common Indian mammalia are found on the Neelgherries, as well as the elk, 
the wild sheep and wild dog, and with these a black monkey (an Simia (Macacus) Silenus, the Ouanderou ?) 
with the peacock and jungle fowl ; the raven, blackbird, thrush, lark, and woodcock are also seen —Hough on 
the Neelgherries ; Young on the Topography of the Neelgherries; Transactions of the Medical and Physica) 
Society of Calcutta, vol. iv. 
