178 FLOEA INDICA. 



feet. On the more humid ranges Abies Brunoniana appears 

 at 8000 feet, and above it Picea Webhiana. Pinus excelsa 

 also occurs abundantly, as well as the Yew, and Cupressus 

 funebris is cultivated as low as 2000 feet, and a very little way 

 from the Assam plain. Further in the interior Abies Smithi- 

 ana occurs, and Larix Griffithii to the westward, Pinus lon- 

 gifolia being still found in the hot dry valleys. 



In general features the flora of Bhotan resembles that of 

 Sikkim, which is much better known. It differs principally 

 by containing several Khasia and eastern forms which do not 

 extend further west, such as Liquidambar, Corylopsis, and an 

 oak with leaves like Robur [Quercus Griffithii, H.f. et T.). 

 These are chiefly plants of the subtropical and lower temperate 

 zone; whUe those of the upper temperate and subalpine zone 

 appear, so far as we have had an opportunity of comparing 

 them, to be almost identical with those of Sikkim. It must, 

 however, be recollected that the collections of Grifiith are all 

 from the western parts of Bhotan, and that the eastern parts 

 are not at all known. 



3. Sikkim. 



The province of Sikkim, though of very limited extent, is 

 now the best known part of the central or eastern Himalaya, 

 and presents many features of much interest. It consists en- 

 tirely of the basin of the river Tista, which, with its tributa- 

 ries, drain the whole country. The course of this river is for 

 the most' part meridional, that is, perpendicular to the plains; 

 and the same may be said of its great tributary the Rangit 

 river, which joins it from the west, flowing for a short dis- 

 tance parallel to the plains, through a deep ravine not 1000 

 feet above the sea, to the north of a transverse range ele- 

 vated 7-8000 feet. 



The position of Sikkim, opposite to the opening of the 

 Gangetic valley, between the mountains of Bahar on the one 

 hand, and those of Khasia on the other, exposes it to the full 

 force of the monsoon; its rains are therefore heavy and almost 



