researches liavc Ixcumc rallici dclcctive. In llic most western parls of llic sleppe, the 

 llo\voiiii_i> season oi'iurs ahi'adv in April, and lurlhcr to the fast onlv in May. liowfvcr. in 

 contradislinilion lo llic not lli-caslci n pail ol' llic land, wlicic tlii' flowering begins as late 

 as in Juiu' and .Inly. 



At Tapsa (rouj^hly TllU ni. aljovc sca-lcvcl). at this lime ol llic year. 1 have ohser- 

 vctl Ihc loUowing rather characteristic plants: 



'rribiiliis Iciri'stris. MnUccujo liipitlina. Colurin (/eoides, Odontiles rubra, Lotus 

 coniiciildliis. Aslrdi/dlus mrliloloidi's. Vrronicu /liniuihi, Lrominis Idhiricus, liromus 

 iiicrmis. I'.liinuis (Idsiisliichiis. Eliiiniis Jiiiicciis. Irlicd dioicii. and ol shrnhs: 



Fig. (iS. From the river L'lu kein. Nearly naked declivities stretcliinji towards the river; 

 only the hanks and the islets grown with straggling trees. 



Coloneaslcr mclanocarpa, Caragana arborescens. Cnragana spinosn. and along 



the river: 



AInus frulicosd. Populus nigra, Popnlus laurifolia. Populus Iremula, Sali.v spec, and 

 some others are .seldom absent. On sandy ground in the river, I have collected Salix 

 viminalis and Cnscnta lupuUfonni.'i. Farther up [he riwv, Caragana jubata also occurs 

 as a very characteristic plant ol' this region. 



10 



