- $80 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [N5S., XIV, 
last century. Lt. (later Col.) Beddome and Dr. Cleghorn, both 
Forest Officers, made excursions ; their reports, as well as some 4 
sketches of the scenery and the aborigines made by Hamilton, — 
are to be found in Cleghorn’s “‘ Forests and Gardens of South- — 
ern India.” : 
The first plantations for coffee were started on the north- 
ern slopes about the middle of the last century, but the best 
planting region, which is now the thriving Anaimalai Planting 
District and which has bitten so deeply into the spl 
evergreen forests of the south-western aspects, was opened 
about 1896 by one or two adventurous pioneers who have 
reaped a rich and deserved harvest as a result of their enter- 
prise. 
s the name of the range indicates to those who know 
Tamil, the Anaimalais (literally Elephant Hills) are one of the 
South Indian strongholds of elephants. These beasts are often 
a Serious menace to planters and others in the tract, not only 
to property but to life. Apart from the capturing operations 
by the pit method carried out by the Forest Department m 
the extreme western corner, these animals roam the le 
d 
_ The Indian bison or gaur is common, both in the lower 
moist forests and on the grassy downs of the heights, ee 
the sloth bear. wild dog, often met with in very large aan 
sambar, spotted deer, mouse-deer and wild pig. Small gem 
not at all abundant. jon the 
Among snakes of special interest, IT may mee fo 
hamadryad (Naia bungarus), a specimen of which, 1 SF ‘ 
long, was killed within a stone’s throw and, incidentally, ae 
thrown stone, of my camp at Attakatti. At the same weit : 
killed a keeled viper (Echis carinata). The fauna as ® esti" 
as varied and as interesting as the flora and as hee it depatt 
ted, so that this tract should prove a rich field for all 
ments of Zoology. 
