10 INTRODUCTION. 



tensive, and the principal places they inhabit are 

 the Islands of Ceylon, Sumatra, Java, Manilla; also 

 Japan, between Osacca and Jeddo, or Ycddo ; 

 likewise in the swampy parts of the woods of 

 Malacca, or Malaya, a country of India, beyond 

 the Ganges, formerly a large peninsula, growing 

 upon the tamarind {Tamarindus hidica,) and 

 other lofty trees ; the temperature varying from 

 750 to 90«. 



In Nepal, and along the Nepalese hills, they 

 abound to a considerable extent ; the temperature 

 ranging from 78" to 90", diversified by the dry 

 and rainy months ; changes also are produced by 

 the south-west and north-west monsoons. 



In Calcutta they flourish vigorously during 

 the wet season ; but when the dry season sets 

 in, the drought lasting so long nearly destroys 

 them ; but, on the other hand, in Bengal they 

 grow all the year round with equal vigour; the 

 hot or dry season commences in March, and 

 continues until the end of May ; the rainy season 

 then sets in, and continues to September ; and 

 before the latter end of July the lower part of the 

 country is overflowed with water, sometimes 

 forming an expanse of more than one hundred 

 miles in breadth ; but when abated, the luxuri- 

 ance of vegetation is not equalled by any other 

 part of the globe : the soil is composed of de- 

 cayed vegetable matter to the depth of six feet 



