208 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF NEPAL. 



west direction, and closes the northern end of the Kapti glen. 

 The tract of country which intervenes between the plains and 

 the Sissagarhi Rang-e represents Mr. Hodgson's division of 

 " Lower Region" of Nepal — a region about thirty miles in 

 breadth, varying in elevation from the level of the plains to 

 4,000 feet above the sea, and highly malarious during tiie hot 

 weather and rains. 



Some English writers speak of the '* Tarai" as terminating 

 at Bhiraphedi. This is no doubt an error ; the natives of the 

 country do not confound the true Tarai, the Bhaver, Dun and 

 lower hills under one general term. 



The ascent of the Sissagarhi hill from Bhimphedi is very 

 steep, and the path is rugged, passing in parts over loose 

 shingly ground. About 1,600 feet above Bhimpliedi is 

 the Fort and rest-house of Sissagarhi or Chissapaui, the latter 

 name being derived from a spring of cold water above the Fort. 

 From this point there is a fine view of the wooded hills east 

 and west of the Rapti Valley. A further ascent of some 500 

 feet takes us to the Pass over the Sissagarhi Range — not less 

 than 2,000 feet above the village of Bhimphedi ; here the ridge 

 is well covered with oak trees. 



From the Sissagarhi Pass to Tambeh Khani, the descent is 

 longer, but not nearly so steep as on the southern or Bhimphedi 

 side; the I'oad lies mainly through a fine forest of oaks and 

 chestnuts, but near the foot of the hill it passes over rough 

 stony ground and boulders. 



At the north base of the Sissagarhi Ridge a clear rapid 

 stream is crossed, whose bed is encumbered with very large 

 boulders. During the rains there is a very fine torrent at this 

 part, and a little above a picturesque lateral cascade falls in from 

 the left bank of the river. From this point the road follows 

 the windings of the stream up to Markhu, about seven miles 

 from Sissagarhi. The river has to be crossed at least a dozen 

 times, and its banks are formed of steep bare rock, in places 

 narrowing to a gorge with perpendicular walls. 



Markhu is a small village, situated at the base of the Ek 

 Danta hill, where the Chitlang stream, flowing along the eastern 

 side of the hill, falls into the Markhu river. The latter river, 

 which above the village of Mai'khu flows along the western side 

 of Ek Danta, is of fair size, and has a wide shingly bed. About 

 a mile above the village it has very large boulders along its 

 banks as well as in its bed. 



On leaving Markhu, we at once ascend Ek Danta hill, here 

 a bare undulating plateau interposed between the Chitlang 

 Valley and the Markhu glen. It is the end of a spur, which 

 runs out from the Chandragiri Ridge, and bounds the Chitlang 



