EAST NEPAL AND THE SIKKIM HIMALAYA MOUNTAINS. 123 



sunset and sunrise, there having been 18 rainless nights, but 

 only five occasions on which none fell between sunrise and 

 sunset. 



The beautiful scarlet Buddleia at 9000 to 10,000 feet, and a 

 fine Erythria at 6000 to 7000 feet, are the only remarkable 

 trees I have noted as flowering during this month in the lower 

 zone, except a Saurauja. Of shrubs, the chief are Hypcrica 

 Deutzia, Philadelphus, Neillia, and many that flowered late in 

 tlie previous month, together with the beautiful red rose. Herba- 

 ceous plants succeed one another rapidly ; magnificent Balsams, 

 CyrtandracecB, Begonias, Scitaminece, and ^schynanthus 

 abound, with 3Ihmdus, Torrenia, Campanula, Codonopsis, 

 Thalictra. The gigantic lily, and various terrestrial Orchidea, 

 as Calanthe, Habenaria, Spatkoglottis, Neottia, and Serapins. 

 Epilohia are common. Circece, Valeriana, Notochcete, tlie 

 purple Convolvulus, white-flowered Polygona, and Cucni-hitacece 

 begin to flower. Acorns, holly, and laurel berries are fully 

 formed ; Lahiatce bud, as do Compositce and Urticece. 



In the garden there are still heartseases, lupines, sweet peas, 

 roses, evening primroses, dalilias, sweet AYilliams, hollyhocks, 

 mallows, snap-dragons, and marigolds. The kitclien-garden 

 sliows radishes, cress, cabbages, squash, and other Cucurbitaceai ; 

 French beans and peas, but sparingly ; cabbages, brocoli, and 

 cauliflower abundant. AVeeds grow apace and keep the gardener 

 busy. 



Second, or Middle Zone. — I spent much of this month at 

 12,000 to 16^000 feet elevation, and further north than in June. 

 Tlie rain-fall I found reduced to little more than 6 inches ; it 

 rained however nearly every day, three times as much falling at 

 night as during the day. Between 10,000 and 14,000 feet 

 vegetation has advanced during this month with marvellous 

 rapidity. The short grass and herbage of open spots, especially 

 at 10,000 to 12,000 feet, are replaced by a rank growth, 6 to 

 8 feet high, of Thalictra, tall Astragalus, grasses, and Cype- 

 racece, Euphorhice, a superb yellow and a purple Meconopsis, 

 each with racemes 1 to 2 feet long of blossoms as broad as the 

 palm of the hand ; gigantic Heraclea spring up 9 feet high 

 whilst fruiting, with twiggy Bupleura, Dipsacus, Convallarice, 

 Dispora, and Smilacina, Ciinicifuga, Rumex, and various 

 Compositae not yet in flower, bound together by masses of Cuscuta 

 and Codonopsis. Amongst these grow, but more sparingly, Bala- 

 nophora, Morina, Gerunia, large Cynoglossa, many Pedicularis, 

 Hypericum, and Gamoplexis, together forming complete thickets 

 of herbage. In more open places, at greater elevations, 12,000 to 

 13,000 feet, Cypripedium, Epipactis, and small OrchidecB are 

 very abundant, with tufted Astragali, Lloydia (two species), 



