EAST NEPAL AND THE SIKKIM HlilALAYA MOUNTAINS. 127 



the cattle are driven down to 12,000 feet early in the month, 

 and to 10,000 feet towards the end. Dandelion, Erigeron, and 

 other compositee are still in full flower. 



Fourth, or Upper Zone, above 15,000 feet. — Many plants 

 continue in flower early in the month and to beyond the middle, 

 as beautiful Cyananthi, Gentians, Elsholsia, Calthn, Taraxa- 

 nem, Prunella, curious LactucecB, Saussurece, and Serralulas, 

 Leontopodium, and other Gnaphaloid compositse. Small Poly- 

 gona, Primulce, and indeed all June and July flowering plants, 

 ripen their seeds. By the 21st vegetation may be said to be at 

 an end, the grasses change colour, and severe frosts set in. 

 Birds migrate south, and the Hoopoe and various small birds 

 are occasional visitants on their passage to warmer climates. 



October. — Mean temperature (7000 feet) 58^ — of maxima 

 66'0°, minima 49"5° ; daily range 17°; sunk thermometer 59° ; 

 extremes of temperature 68° and 43o^ ; of radiating thermome- 

 ters — solar 133°, terrestrial 32°; extreme differences from 

 temperature of air — solar 65°, terrestrial 12°. Mean dew-point 

 52*5° ; saturation 9"88. Kain-fall 8'66 inches (mean of four 

 years 17*964 and 5"50). Tliis is one of the most variable 

 months in the year as regards the distribution of both heat and 

 moisture. Fine weather almost invariably follows the equinoxial 

 gales, and sometimes lasts. October has loeen described to me as 

 a glorious, cloudless month, without a drop of rain. In 1848 

 there was more bad weather than good, with heavy squalls, 

 thunder and lightning, and nearly 18 inches of rain fell. In 

 1849, again, very little rain indeed fell, but the month was so 

 uniformly fog'jfy and damp, that the rains were not considered 

 over till November ; yet during twenty days no rain fell at all. 

 The same irregularity marks this season at all elevations, and I 

 experienced more rain at 13,000 feet, in an almost Tibetan 

 climate, than fell at Darjiling, owing probably to the condensa- 

 tion of the southerly wind over the September snow-fall, vvhich 

 had already lowered the snow-line in some parts of Sikkim. 



In the lower zone tliere are still plants to flower, as Prinsepiay 

 the beautiful blue Craivfurdia, Eleagnus, and Balanophora 

 pohjandra. Various species of Clematis also flower, with Ca- 

 mellia, Eurya, Cuscuta, Syynplocos, Prunus, Wightia, a late- 

 flowering Michelia, Aplotaxis, the superb Luculia gratissitna, 

 fragrant Olea, Bucklandia, Eleagnus, and many parasitical 

 OrchidecE. The apple and other wild fruits ripen. 



In the garden the early frosts are apt to do injury ; potatoes 

 should be all housed ; celery is planted out in trenches ; cabbages 

 and kohl-rabi in drills. The garden should be all cleaned and 

 weeded for planting spring vegetables before the end of the 

 month. 



