XXX 



BIOGEAPHICAL SKETCH. 



admirable. Dr. Eoyle has permitted me to read a part of their corre- 

 spondence with him, when they were exploring the Sewalik mountains, 

 and I can bear witness to their extraordinary energy and perseverance. 

 From time to time they earnestly requested that Cuvier's works on 

 Osteology might be sent out to them, and expressed their disappoint- 

 ment when, from various accidents, these volumes failed to ai'rive. The 

 delay, perhaps, was fortunate ; for, being thrown entirely upon their 

 own resources, they soon found a Museum of Comparative Anatomy in 

 the siu-rounding plains, hills, and jungles, where they slew the wild 

 tigers, buffaloes, antelopes, and other Indian quadrupeds, of which they 

 preserved the skeletons, besides obtaining specimens of all the reptiles 

 Avhich inhabited that region. They were compelled to see and think 

 for themselves, while comparing and discriminating the different recent 

 and fossil bones and reasoning on the laws of comparative osteology, 

 till at length they were fully prepared to appreciate the lessons which 

 they were taught by the works of Cuvier.' ^ 



These Sevralik researclies, interruptecT for a time by distant 

 employment on other duties, were subsequently resumed by 

 Dr. Falconer in England. 



Concurrently with these investigations, Dr. Falconer's 

 official duties, as Superintendent of the Suharunpoor Botanic 

 Garden, led him to explorations in the snowy range of the 

 neighbouring Himalayahs. 



In 1834 a Commission was appointed by the Bengal Go- 

 vernment to inquire into and report on the fitness of India 

 for the growth of the tea-plant of China. Acting on the 

 information and adyiee supplied by Dr. Falconer,^ the Com- 

 mission recommended a trial. The Government adoj)ted the 

 recommendation ; the plants were imported from China, and 

 the experimental researches were placed under Falconer's 

 superintendence in sites selected by him. Tea culture has 

 since then greatly extended in India, and the tea of Bengal 

 bids fair to become an important commercial export from 

 India, as Falconer long ago predicted. 



In one of his expeditions, in July and AugiTst 1834, in 

 search of sites for tea-plantations. Dr. Falconer succeeded in 



' Address at anniversary meeting of 

 Geol. Soc. February 17, 1S37; ib. vol. 

 vi. p. 890. 



■•^ On the Aptitude of the Himalayahs 

 for the Culture of the Tea Plant. — 

 Journ. As. Soc. of Bengal, 183i, vol. iii. 

 p. 182. The following is an extract from 

 a letter from Dr. Falconer to Sir Proby 



Cautley, dated May 2, 1844: 'My tea 

 services are undeniable. The experi- 

 ment was attempted on my recommend- 

 ation, and conducted under me ; the first 

 tea was manufactured under me, and the 

 produce declared by three sets of brokers 

 to be equal to the best China tea.' 



