MAMMAL SURVEY OF INDIA. 1171 



" The general face of this tract is much diversified and affords a 

 great variety of elevation and of geological structure thereby 

 materially affecting the distribution and the habitat of the 

 different species of animals existing within its limits.'' 



" The whole of the western portion is a thick forest, extending 

 from the outskirts of the mountainous region of the Ghats to their 

 summits, and clothing the valleys that extend between their 

 ridges. It abounds with the teak and various other lofty forest 

 trees, festooned by enormous perennial creepers. The bamboo 

 forms a thiclv and luxuriant underwood in some places, while 

 others are entirely open, and the banks of many clear and rapid 

 streams flowing through it, abound with the black pepper plant, 

 the wild cinnamon and other odoriforous shrubs. Portions of this 

 forest are often left entirely untouched by the axe or knife, 

 forming a thick impervious shade for the growth of the black 

 pepper, cardamom, and Mari palm (Gari/jta ureiis). These are 

 called ' kans ' and are favourite resorts of wild animals." 



" To the east of the regular forest lies a tract called the Mulnad, 

 or rain-country (though the native of the plains often includes the 

 'jhari,' or forest, under the same denomination), in which the 

 trees degenerate into large bushes, the bamboo almost entirely 

 ceases, and cultivation, chiefly of rice, becomes much more 

 frequent. The bushes consists of the karunda, the pallas, etc. 

 It abounds in tanks and artificial reservoirs for purposes of 

 irrigation." 



" East of the Mulnad is a great extent of alluvial plain produc- 

 ing fine crops of wheat, cotton, maizes, millet, etc. (Holcus 

 sarghum, Panicuin italicum, Cicsr arietinum), and on the Nizam's 

 frontier are found a succession of low dry hills, with tabular 

 summits often rising in abrupt scarped precipices, and intersecting 

 and traversing the plains in various directions. They are clothed 

 with low thorny jungle of babul and acacia, and their bases, and the 

 valleys between, composed of a light sandy soil, are cultivated 

 with millet, vetches, etc. (Panicum spicatum, Fanioum miliare, 

 Phaseolas max, Phassohis mungj, &c.)." 



" The first or mountainous d^isioti consists chiefly of micaceous 

 clay, and ether sjhists, which to t'le northward are succeeded by 



