1871.]} Priceedings of the Asiatic Socvety. 167 
II,—Account or A vistr to THE Eastern AND NorTHERN FRONTIERS 
OF INDEPENDENT SIKKIM, WITH NOTES ON THE ZOOLOGY OF THE 
ALPINE AND SUB-ALPINE REGIONS, by W. T. Buanrorp, F. G. &., 
C. M. Z. 8. (Abstract.) 
Mr. W. T. Blanford gave a brief account of a journey he had 
made in company with Captain Elwes to the Eastern and Northern 
frontiers of Sikkim in August, September, and October, 1870. 
Starting from Darjiling on the 13th August, they crossed the Tista 
to Kélingping in the Daling Diiar of Bhitin, and thence marched, 
by Phytidong, Rhinok, Chisachen and Lingti, to the foot of the 
Jelep-la, a pass leading into the Chimbi valley of Tibet, considera- 
bly to the south of the Yakla. Their object was, if unopposed, 
to cross this pass and march up the Chimbi valley to the Tankra-la 
and to cross that to Liachung, thus reaching the upper Tista drainage 
bya shorter and pleasanter road at this season than the hot and wet 
Tista valley. However, they found, their plans were known at 
Chumbi where the Raja of Sikkim was staying, and the frontier 
was guarded. They spent a day near the Jelep-l4 which is under 
14000 ft. in height, and then marched northwards along the west 
slope of the Chola range to Chumaniko near the Chola. On their 
road they passed 3 lakes, each 14 to 2 miles in length, larger than 
any hitherto mapped in Sikkim and known as the Bidan-tso, 
Nemi-tso and Tanyek-tso. They also passed, besides the Yakla, 
an unmapped pass called the Gnatui-la. 
At Chumanako they found the Raja of Sikkim, who had come 
from Chimbi to meet them, and begged them not to attempt to 
enter Tibetan territory. They, therefore, had to march round by 
Tamlung and the upper Tista valley to Lachting. They remained 
for some daysin the Laching valley at elevations of from 8000 to 
16,000 feet and made a considerable collection of birds. The fauna 
is distinctly Pale-arctic, a complete change taking place from the 
Malay fauna of Sikkim, when pine forests are entered at about 
8,000 feet. Lemmergeyers, ravens, crows, choughs, tits, tree- 
creepers, redstarts, larks, pipits and finches, pheasants and snow 
partridges are the commonest birds, The mammals are burhel, 
goral, serow, bears and Lagomys. 
