NOTES ON MAMMALS lOUND IN THE SIMLA DISTRICT. 729 



occur, and besides a thick vegetation of low forests and brushwood. 

 There exists on these moderate elevations a particularly mild 

 climate, and the supply of water is abundant during the whole- 

 year." A few of the animals characteristic of this zone are the 

 Flying Squirrels (P. fulviwas and /S. fimbriatus), the Serow, and 

 the Musk-deer (iLT. moscliiferus) . 



Proceeding southwards from the Military Cantonment of Sabathu 

 (4,500 feet) in the direction of Kalka, the Indian character of the 

 flora and fauna becomes at once prevalent, and we find ourselves. 

 in the "sub-tropical" zone of the Himalayas. The Cheer Pine — 

 Pinus longifolia — gets rarer the lower we descend, while such 

 Indian forms as Ficios bengalensis, Ficus religiosa, Bomhax inalahari- 

 cum rapidly appear. Thick jungles of Bamboos, Carissa spinarum^ 

 and Zizyinis cenoijlia now become the predominant feature in the- 

 vogetation, interspersed with shady groves and gardens of Mtisce, 

 loquat, mango and orange trees. On rocky cliffs and in caverns 

 around Sabathu, Dagshai and Kasauli the first specimens of 

 Hycena hycena — the Striped Hyeena and Felis affinis — the Jungle Cat 

 are to be found. The common Five-Striped Squirrel — Funamhulus 

 vennanti — and the Indian Wild Boar — S^lS cristatus — abound every- 

 where. In scrubby jungles and brushwood are seen the common 

 Mungos mungo and Vul2yes hengcdensis ; while, at the foot of the hills, 

 Ganis palliiDes, Mellivora indica, Antilo'pe cerviccqyfa, Boselaphus tragoca- 

 melus, and other familiar Indian forms occur. Such is the neigh- 

 bourhood of Kalka and adjacent country, the fauna and flora of 

 which differ in no way from those of the plains of the upper 

 Punjab, and which forms the southern limit of the extent to which 

 my observations apply. 



The arrangement followed in the enumeration of Orders and 

 Species is that of Blanford in his Mammaua, Fauna of British 

 India, 1888-1891, to which references have been given; the nomen- 

 clature has, however, been altered, as far as possible, in the light of 

 recent zoological researches. 



In conclusion, I take this opportimity of expressing my grateful 

 thanks to Mr. N. B. Kinnear, M.B.O.U., for all his kind help and 

 valuable suggestions, without which my notes would never have seen 

 the light of day ; to His Highness the Maharaja of Patiala, for grant- 

 ing me passes and facilities for travelling about in his territory ; to 

 Mr. L.W. Eeynolds, C.I.E., I.C.S., Deputy Secretaryto the Govern- 

 ment of India in the Foreign and Political Department, for his kind- 

 ness in procuring me passes and facilities, without which it would 

 have been impossible for me to visit some of these Hill States ; and 

 to Mr. C. H. Johnstone for some of the very interesting material with 

 which he has supplied me for this paper. My grateful thanks are 

 also due to Mr. G. W. Marshall, I.S.O., for his kindness in allowing 

 me access to various Government and other publications, during 



