and on the Sanscrila Names of those Regions. 34-1 



rainy season 1810, at Natlipur, on the frontier of the Kiratas, 

 or Ciratas, subject to Nepal; from whence, as well as from the 

 forests in the northern parts of Mithila, I procured a great 

 variety of rare and curious plants. ^ 



In autumn 1810, so soon as the weather cleared, 1 proceeded 

 to the district of Boglipore (Bhagulpur), the eastern part of 

 which is included in the ancient Hindu kingdom of Angga, 

 while its western portion is in Magadha ; and the portion on 

 the northern banks of the Ganges is pardy m Angga, partly 

 in Mithila. The greater portion of this district being waste, 

 was very favourable to me as a botanist; and I had here an 

 opportunity of extending my knowledge of the rigid vegeta- 

 tion of the Vindhivan mountains, which the Hindus consider 

 as bounding the Gangetic plains on the south, and as extend- 

 ino- from the southern banks of the Ganges to the Southern 

 Ocean. These hills are here much lower than the parts of 

 the same mass which I examined in the south ; but their yer 

 getable productions are nearly the same, and have a sinrnlar 

 rigid thorny appearance; but, the rains being more copious^ 

 the vegetation is not quite so much stunted, although it is very 

 far from being so luxuriant as that towards the east or north. 



The rainy season 1811 I passed at Mungga, where the 

 vicinity of the hills gave me a considerable increase to my 

 stock of plants, and I employed a Hindu physician, not de- 

 ficient in learning, to point out the plants which he considered 

 officinal, and to give me both their Sanscrita and Hindu names, 

 which I compared with those given to the same plants by the 

 ignorant people who collect and vend drugs. 



In the following dry season 1811-12 I examined the juris- 

 dictions subject to the magistrates of the cities of Patna and 

 Gaya, both included in the ancient kingdom of Magadha, 

 which for many centuries before the Muhammedan invasion 

 was considered" the chief seat of Hindu power and glory, so 

 that its princes were indifferently called kings of Magadha and 

 of Bharatkanda, or ihe Land of Virtue, the name by which the 

 Hindus fondly call the territory occupied by their race, the 

 descendants of Brahnuu In these districts I had a further 

 opportunity of making myself accjuainted with die rigid vege- 

 tation of the Vindhivan "mountains, and, during my stay at 

 Patna, in the rainv season 181'2, I extended my knowledge of 

 the officinal plants of India, by consulting the same physician 

 and the druggists of Patna. 



In tiie dry season 1812-13 I examined die jurisdiction un- 

 der die magistrate of Shahabad, forming a groat part of the 

 ancient Hindu kingdom of Kikata (Latino Ciaita); and here 

 I completed my knowledge of the vegetation of the Vindhiy.in 



mountains 



