444 CLIMATE. Chap. XXVI. 



wave upon wave of wooded mountain ranges rising one 



behind the other, the highest peak of all having its summit 



partially bare of trees, and covered with rich herbage. The 



elevations above the sea are as follows : — 



Tadiandamol (the highest peak) 5781 feet 



Pushpagiri (another peak) 5682 



Mercara 4506 



Virarajendrapett 3399 



Fraserpett 3200 



The river Cauvery drains about four-fifths of the surface 

 of Coorg, while about a dozen streams, issmng from the 

 same hill region, traverse Malabar and South Canara. From 

 the end of December to the end of March rain is very 

 scarce, but the valleys are seldom without fogs more or less 

 dense in the evenings and mornings, and heavy dews are 

 frequent. Dm-ing these months a dry east wind prevails, 

 which has long ceased to carry rain with it from the Bay 

 of Bengal. Towards the end of March clouds begin to col- 

 lect, and the air grows moister. In April and May there 

 are thunderstorms and frequent showers, with a warm and 

 moist climate. In the end of May the clouds in the western 

 sky gi-ow in strength ; and in June rain prevails, descend- 

 ing at times softly, but generally with great violence, ac- 

 companied by heavy gusts of westerly wind. In July and 

 August the rain pom\s down m floods day and night, to such 

 a degree that a flat country would be deluged, but Coorg, 

 after being thoroughly bathed, sends off the w^ater to the east 

 and west by her numerous valleys. The yearly fall of rain 

 often exceeds 160 inches. In September the sun breaks 

 through, in October a north-east wind clears the sky, in No- 

 vember showers fall over Coorg, being the tail of the north- 

 east monsoon, and December is often foggy.^ The following 

 table will give an idea of the annual temperature of Mercara,' 



" Com-g, by Eev. H. Moegling. I ' Observations by Dr. R. Baikie. 

 (Mangalore, 1855.) • | Madras Journal, 18.17, vi. p. o42. 



