VALLEY OF THE SOANE. 89 
so cool, it is not exempt from agues after the rains. The extremes 
of temperature are less marked up here than below, where the valley 
becomes excessively heated, and where the hot winds sometimes last 
for a week, blowing in furious gusts. The climate of the whole neigh- 
bourhood has changed materially within these twenty years, especially 
the fall of rain, which has much diminished in consequence of felling 
the forests. Even within six years, the hail-storms are far less frequent 
and violent. The air on the hills is highly electrical, owing, no doubt, 
to the dryness of the atmosphere, to which the frequent formation of 
hail-storms may also be due. 
The Zoology of these regions is tolerably copious ; but little is known 
of the natural history of a great part of the plateau. A native tribe, 
addicted to human sacrifices, is talked of. Tigers are far from unfre- 
quent, and bears are numerous. They have, besides, the leopard, 
panther, Viverrine cat, and civet; and of the dog tribe, the pariah, 
jackall, fox, and wild dog, called Koa. Deer are very abundant, of 
six or seven species. A small alligator inhabits the hill-streams: it is 
a very different animal from either of the Soane species, and Mr. Davis 
has kindly promised to procure me a skin of it. 
On the descent we examined several instances of ripple-mark (fossil 
waves’ foot-steps) in the sandstone. They resembled the fluting o 
the Sigillaria stems in the coal-measures, and occurring as they do 
here, in sandstone, a little above great beds of limestone, had been 
taken for such, and considered to be indicative of coal. 
On the following day we visited Raj-ghat, a steep gulley or pass, 
leading through the cliff to Rotas palace, a little higher up the river. We 
took! the ‘elephants to the mouth of the glen, picking up Mr. Davis 
on our way, who had taken his uswa? before-breakfast walk, from 
Akbarpore to the top of Rotas, and down by the Raj-ghat pass. 
Dismounting, we followed a stream, abounding in small fish and 
insects (Dytisci and Gyrini) through a dense jungle to the foot of 
the cliffs, where there are indications of coal. The woods were full 
of monkeys. Amongst other plants I found Murraya exotica, but 
scarce. Though the jungle is very dense, the woods were dry and 
contain no Palms, Aroidee, Peppers, Orchidee, or Ferns. 
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