1842.] Dhoora Pass in Juwahir. 1 165 



Since leaving Tola, nothing like a tree has been visible, and the gene- 

 ral aspect of the country is consequently very barren. A very un- 

 pleasant strong southerly wind blew all day, and seems to be the pre- 

 vailing wind here, as the open parts or fronts of the houses here have 

 generally a northern aspect. There is a high mountain at the back of 

 the village, which separates the two streams, which defends it perhaps 

 from the northerly winds, and on either side the mountains descend 

 within a quarter or half a mile, and the only opening is to the south. 



The crows in this part appear to differ from the common crows ; they 

 fly in pairs, are few in number ; their note resembles that of the sea- 

 gull more than the crow,* to which in fact it bears not the slightest 

 similitude. There are a good many of the commonf blue pigeon, 

 which fly in flocks near the villages. Saw one large snippet about half 

 way, and passed over a good deal of swampy ground, when I expected 

 almost to have flushed a woodcock, J as they are found sometimes near 

 Almora in the winter, and descend probably from this quarter. One of 



our party, Mr. purchased a sheep with five horns at the village 



of Boorfer, for two rupees and twelve annas ; the owner asked one rupee 



per horn for it. 



Plants. 



1. Dwarf juniper with ripe berries, (black). — 2. Ditto a few, not in 

 flower or fruit. — 3. The shrub resembling the sweet-briar in fruit. — 

 4. The gooseberry in fruit, (two species). — 5. A species of barberry 

 with leaf, not in flower or fruit. 



2^th September. — Halt 8 a. m m thermometer 37°; moist ther- 

 mometer 31°. Hoar frost on trie ground, sun just on Milum, (fine 

 morning.) 12h. 20m. p.m. barometer 19900, thermometer, moist 69° 

 thermometer, air 66° 5', moist thermometer 42°. Bare thermometer 

 held in the hand to the rays of the sun 69°. 12h. 45m. thermometer 

 covered with black wool and laid on the ground in the sun rose to 



* This is I believe the English chough. I saw them high up in the snow, and again 

 about 15 miles across Oonta Dhoora; some have red, some yellow feet and beaks. The 

 plumage is very soft, and of a deep purple black.— J. A. W. 



f Far more like the wood pigeon. Black and white, and grey and white plumage. 

 But blue pigeons are also met with even higher than Melum.— J. A. W. 



X 1 constantly looked for woodcock, but never flushed one. From November to March 

 they are (some years more than others) very abundant round Almora, Petoraghur 

 and Lohooghaut. Fifty brace have been killed in a season by one Officer. — J. A. W. 



