NOTE ON FLOATING ISLANDS OF EIWALSAR. 253 



tall clusters. One of the islands (known as Brahma's) has a small 

 willow tree growing on it. It had another shrub also which looked 

 like a rose and the writer was told that it was a rose. This island 

 also bore a flag on a tall pole placed their by the Brahmans. The 

 only other prominent plant on the islands was an aroid which could 

 not be identified further. 



All along the margins of the lake the ground at the time of the 

 visit, the rainy season was very swampy. The aquatic plants 

 growing on the bank of the lake were chiefly the following : — Some 

 grasses and sedges, including Phragmites ; a Nymphaea, a Trapa, 

 Polygonum barbatimi, a Ceratophyllum, a Lemna and an Azolla. 



It may be mentioned that the islands move by the action of the 

 breeze, the reeds acting as sails, though the Brahmans there believe in 

 their supernatural and independent movement. 



I was told that the level of the lake rises slightly during the 

 rains, but the lake has a permanent supply of water from a subter- 

 ranean spring and there is a permanent outlet also. 



No boats are available at Riwalsar and everything necessary for 

 the investigation should be arranged for beforehand. 



1968-33 



