316 JOURNAL, BOMB A Y NA TURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XIX. 



brown crust of liinonite, but freshly broken, the rock is mottled with 

 various tints of brown, red, and yellow. This rock has great powers 

 of resisting atmospheric disintegration, being produced by long 

 action of the atmosphere upon various ferruginous clays ; but the 

 underlying formation decomposes, is slowly washed away, and the 

 originally horizontal cap of laterite, falling down, becomes 

 reconsolidated on the irregular surface, which it still covers. There 

 is no doubt that this process has been going on for a long time 

 underneath the top-part of Table-land. It often struck me when 

 watching a cricket match on the plateau, that the steps of the 

 players sounded hollow, as if they were walking over the roof of a 

 huge cave. It is, therefore, not improbable, that one day a part of 

 Table-land will be found at a lower level. It is very likely that some 

 of the tanks on the first and second plateau owe their origin to the 

 sinking of the surface into cavities formed by the washing away of 

 the underlying rock. In all places where laterite forms part of the 

 country it can be observed that the general efi'ect of the rock is to 

 produce barrenness. Trees and "shrubs growing upon it are thinly 

 scattered and of small size. This infertility is due, in great part, to 

 the rock being so porous that all water sinks into it, and sufficient 

 moisture is not retained to support vegetation. The result is that 

 laterite plateaux are usually bare of soil, and frequently almost bare 

 of vegetation. This is not exactly the case with the Table-land of 

 Panchgani : here some soil has accumulated, and as this is of a more 

 argillaceous kind, it is able to support a moderate amount of 

 vegetation. 



After these preliminary remarks we shall take a short survey of 

 the flora of Panchgani. I was told that the beauties of this little 

 hill station are best seen after the cessation of the south-west 

 monsoon, and it was for this reason that I chose October for the 

 botanical exploration of that place. It did not take a long time to 

 find out that Chessou did not exaggerate when he wrote : "• If there 

 is one thing of which Panchgani may justly be proud, it is her 

 flowers. Ever-blossoming heliotrope and myrtle are made to form 

 hedges and disseminate their fragrance, along the drive to the house. 

 The sweet-briar flowers with unwanted vigour and beauty. Roses in 

 endless variety add their pleasing colours and sweetness to the 

 scene. For untold variety and beauty of its flowers, Panchgani stands 



