J^OTES ON THE FLORA AND FAUNA 



OF THE 



KACHIN HILLS. 

 By Captain G. H. H. Couchman. 

 Flora. — Owing to the practice which prevails amongst the Kachins 

 of clearing new ground annually for their hill cultivation, large trees 

 are but seldoai seen in the hills. But in the belt of forest below the 

 hills very fine forests are to be found. In these forests the teak is 

 common, though never attaining to any great size. The best forest 

 seen was that between Ayaindama and Manmeugh. In this the teak 

 was larger than in other parts of the country, though not so large as I 

 have seen in India. The teak is also plentiful along the Mole chaung, 

 though here it is of small size. That there are large trees to be got 

 in some parts is evident from the size of the teak posts of some Sawb- 

 was' houses, notably at Pumpieu, where some of the posts were over 

 3 feet in diameter. Bamboo is very plentiful, and in the higher 

 ranges near Sadon, and the frontier near Waror, the hills are covered 

 with a small species of male bamboo. The India-rubber tree was 

 frequently seen, but never in any quantity, solitary trees, some 

 of great size and beauty, being the rule. They are generally easily 

 distinguishable from the numerous slashes they have on their trunks 

 made by dah cuts. I saw trees at all elevations between 400 feet and 

 6,000 feet. Banyans are fairly common. Lemon bushes are ver^^ 

 common, and near Manmeugh I saw a large kind of lemon with a 

 very acid flavour. Round nearly every Kachin village are to be seen 

 some magnificent clumps of giant bamboo, which have jirobably been 

 planted there ; some of these bamboos have a diameter of 8 to 9 

 inches. I saw one in flower at Letsao near Pumpien. The Kachins 

 say the seeds, if planted, will not grow, so I conclude the clumps 

 are formed by planting cuttings. The prickly cane is common 

 everywhere except close by the Taping. Several "Wangi" canes were 

 obtained by digging up the roots of a peculiar kind of bamboo. These 

 are made into walking-sticks and pipe-stems. The bir tree is very 

 common, but the fruit is very sour. It is round, and not like the 

 elongated cultivated fruit one gets in India. The " seit " tree was 

 occasionall}^ met with. It appears to be a kind of palm; having lono- 



