140 ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF TENASSERIM 



from the main hills abut on to the river; and indeed the 

 whole valley may be said to consist of an intricate network 

 of larger and smaller spurs forming a succession of hill and 

 dale, with numberless small streams draining their sides, all 

 flowing to the main river. From the sources of the Thoungyeen 

 to its mouth such a thing as a plain of any extent is unknown. 



Beginning at the sources of the Thoungyeen, and proceeding 

 downwards, the first considerable spur thrown off from the main 

 range is that which forms the east watershed of the Meknay 

 stream, and which runs almost due north. This minor line 

 of hills is in places as high as the main rauge itself, and 

 from the east presents the aspect of an intervening range 

 between the Thoungyeen river and the Dawna mountains. 

 The country between it and the Dawna is drained by the 

 Meknay and its feeders, which stream eventually falls into 

 the Meplay. Further north another large spur bounds to the 

 east of the valley of the Meplay, the only large trubutary on 

 the western side of the Thoungyeen. 



This minor range, striking from the Dawna in a south-east- 

 erly direction, comes down as far as the mouth of the Meplay. 



From the crest of the main mountain range to the bank 

 of the Thoungyeen the country is covered by almost unbroken 

 forest. The inhabitants of the valley being few and far 

 between, have made but comparatively little impression on the 

 vast forest area of this district. 



The forest may be roughly said to consist of four different 

 kinds — 



Evergreen clothing the crests and sides of the main range 

 and higher spurs, as well as the banks in the immediate vici- 

 nity of the large streams ; 



Moist forest consisting of bamboo — Pyma (Lagerstrcemia 

 flos-regina) , Pynkado (Xylia dolabriformis), and such like trees 

 with occasionally teak mixed ; 



Teak forests, in which teak and bamboo prevail to a 

 great extent, but intermingled however with other trees, 

 and presenting an open character of forest which strikes 

 the eye at once. Large belts of this exist at the 

 sources of the Thoungyeen along its banks, and in the 

 Meplay valley ; and 



Dry Dillenia forests, composed wholly of Eng, Zitnatum 

 (Dillenia pentagyna), and trees capable of growing on 

 the poorest soil. Often in these open forests pine 

 (Pinus massoniana) is found mixed with the Eng to a 

 considerable extent, while teak, stunted and crooked in growth, 

 is sometimes found on the borders. In the dense evergreen 

 forests on the higher slopes of the hills, bison, sambur, and 



