232 A NATURALIST IN WESTERN CHINA 



iron suspension bridge over a wide torrent. This hamlet 

 consists of one large house and a mill, where a specially good 

 and tough bamboo paper is made, which is used at Yachou 

 Fu for wrapping up brick tea. The bamboo is obtained 

 from the surrounding mountains, and is a species with dull 

 green culms about the thickness of a man's thumb, growing 

 12 to 15 feet tall. On crossing over the bridge, I photographed 

 a fine specimen of Alniphyllum Fortunei, one of the rarest of 

 Chinese trees. A short steep ascent, then a rather drawn- 

 out descent, ultimately brought us to the banks of a clear- 

 water stream of considerable size, which we crossed by an 

 iron suspension bridge 50 yards long, and soon reached the 

 market village of Ping-ling-shih, alt. 2900 feet. This is 

 a small and dirty place of about 50 houses, situated on the 

 left bank of a stream which joins the Ya Ho, some 10 li below 

 Yachou Fu. It is in Hung-ya Hsien, in full view of Mount 

 Wa-wu, and the most important place in the Laolin 

 (Wilderness), as this region is denominated. 



The flora of the day's journey was rather more interesting 

 than heretofore. Wooded knolls are the rule. Evergreen 

 trees, more especially Oak and Castanopsis, are very general, 

 and of large size. I gathered four species belonging to the 

 latter genus, all handsome umbrageous trees. A fine specimen 

 of the curious Hazel-nut {Corylus heterophylla, var. crista-galli) , 

 60 feet tall, 5 feet in girth, was one of the most interesting trees 

 noted. The nut in this variety is hidden in a crested cup. 

 The Chinese Fir is most abundant, being the only Conifer met 

 with. The absence of Pine and Cypress since leaving the 

 valley of the Ya River has been a most remarkable feature. 

 The country generally is very broken, the sandstone bluffs 

 bold, and clad with the usual jungle growth wherever trees 

 are sparse. 



In order to ascend Mount Wa-wu from Ping-ling-shih it was 

 necessary for us to make a detour from our intended route. 

 The summit was said to be 70 li distant, but, owing to the steep 

 and difficult road, two days are required to cover this. We 

 left behind all our spare gear and arranged what it was necessary 

 to take into light loads. The road on clearing Ping-ling-shih 

 ascends a rock-strewn tributary of the main stream, through a 



