486 NATURAL SCIENCE. sept., 



tons great-billed raven. Thrushes, bulbuls, flycatchers, warblers, 

 finches, and honeybirds made tlie woods lively with their varied 

 notes. Altogether about two hundred bird-skins were collected, some 

 of which may be new to science or of interest in connection with 

 geographical distribution. 



Comparatively few mammals were found. Of beasts of prey, the 

 leopard, spotted hyena, serval, and an ichneumon were seen, while 

 four species of rat were caught on the " terai," and three on the 

 plateau. An interesting little antelope — probably a Neotragus — is 

 confined to the rocky ridges of the higher range ; it proved too shy 

 and wary for capture. In the distance " it looked about the size of a 

 half-grown goat, of a dark brown colour, with a white patch under 

 the tail." Lions, which are common on the plains, do not apparently 

 frequent the plateau. Snakes, of a good many species, were found 

 both on the plains and plateau. 



The soil of the grass-lands, owing to the impoverishing effects of 

 periodical fires, is unsuitable for cultivation, but admirably fitted for 

 sheep or cattle runs, the prevailing grasses being more tender and 

 nutritious than the strong, rank herbage of the plains. The climate 

 and the well-watered valleys also favour stock-rearing. As regards 

 the soil around the base, Mr. Whyte considers it well suited for 

 cultivation of coffee, while cacao would do well in many of the 

 sheltered ravines along the river courses. The land, generally, is 

 very productive ; some gardens were seen from which the natives 

 had reaped three crops of Indian corn and sorghum within twelve 

 months. The rainfall is probably only from 60 to 70 inches, but 

 apparently better distributed than at Zomba and other ranges in the 

 Shire highlands, for during one year's experience there had not been 

 a single month without rain. Tobacco and cotton could be grown to 

 an unlimited extent on the plains. 



Viewed as a sanatorium, Milanji, according to I\Ir. Whyte, 

 contrasts favourably with some of the Indian and Ceylon hill-stations. 

 The year is fairly equally divided into wet and dry months. During 

 the former — November to May — it must be as miserable as all tropical 

 mountain sanatoria. The other six months are fine, clear, and bracing, 

 the thermometer sometimes falling at night below freezing point in 

 May, June, and July. Of course, the great drawback in this respect 

 is the practical impossibility of reaching it, but Mr. Whyte considers 

 that a road of fairly good gradient might be made via the Lutshenya 

 Valley ; and this would also serve for transport of the valuable cypress 

 timber now rotting in the forests. 



Naturalists will look forward with interest to the detailed report 

 on the collections obtained by the expedition, now being investigated 

 by the officers of the British Museum. The Botanical results will be 

 communicated next session to the Linnean Society, and a Zoological 

 Report will be contributed to the Zoological Society's Proceedings. 



