DR. HOOKER'S MISSION TO INDIA. ` 81 
fruit: it agrees so exactly with a notice which I saw somewhere or 
other lately of Populus Euphratica of Olivier that I can hardly 
doubt its being that plant. If I am right, it is an interesting instance 
of the extension east of a west Asian plant. I have now only to 
mention the alpine vegetation, which is the most interesting of all, 
approaching very closely to that of Europe and Northern Asia. I can 
at present only mention two Anemones (apparently 4. patens and A. 
pratensis), a Poppy, like Papaver nudicaule, a Saxifraga, very near, but 
I think, distinct from, S. crassifolia, a Primula somewhat resembling P. 
Auricula, a ficarioid Ranunculus, species of Phaca, Oxytropis, and Astra- 
galus, Biebersteinia odora, Lonicera hispida, an Androsace, a Veronica, 
a Thermopsis, Crassulacee, and many Crucifere, of which, except Draba, 
I cannot at present give names. Of Rhubarb I have met with two 
species, one, I think, Rheum Moorcroftianum, the other is Men 
undescribe 
I have uiae en over the principal forms of vegetation, since 
it is the only way I have at present (in the absence of accurate numerical 
facts) of giving an idea of the nature of the flora; but for many 
reasons only an imperfect idea is thus communicated; and in particu- 
lar some of the most striking species not being innii to any 
described genus, I am obliged to omit all mention of them. 
7th August.—To-morrow I start for the northern pass. I hope to 
be able to give you an account of my visit from Le, by the middle of 
September. Ihave been without letters from India for a very long 
time, and now I hardly hope to get them till my return to Le. 
Tuomas THOMSON. 
Extracts from the Private Letters of Dn. J. D. Hooker, written 
during a Botanical Mission to INDIA. 
Continued from p. 56. 
CALCUTTA TO DARJEELING IN SIKKIM-HIMALAYA. 
I again sunk a thermometer, 3 feet 8 inches through an alluvium of 
such excessive tenacity, that the operation took eight natives four hours’ 
labour, with a heavy iron jumper. In both this and another hole, 
VOL. I. M 
