918 Journal of a Trip to the Burenda Pass in 1836. [Nor. 



They burrow like rats on the side of the grassy hills. Some of our 

 party said they saw much larger ones than that above described, in 

 which case there were two kinds, as our specimen, judging from the 

 teeth, was decidedly adult. 



Roylb figures an animal very similar to this, which he obtained 

 from the Chor mountain, under the name of '• Lagomys Alpinus," 

 Desm. or"jL. Pika," Geoff. 



I hesitate to decide whether our animal is distinct from that of Dr. 

 Royle because the specimen was so stiffened and dried when I had 

 leisure to examine it, that I could not ascertain whether the incisors 

 were those of Lagomys or Arctomys, and it is possible that what I con- 

 sidered a groove in the upper incisors, may be the separating line 

 of the teeth, and in this case I should consider the animal identical 

 with Royle's. I shall soon be able I hope to decide, as men are gone 

 in search of specimens, both to the Chor and Burenda Pass. 



After staying a short time in this dreary spot and collecting as 

 many seeds as I could conveniently carry, I followed the rest of the 

 party who had already got far on their way down again, for the clouds 

 had now gathered all round very heavy and promised a storm ; the 

 wind too became high and bitterly cold and very shortly after we had 

 regained our tents, we experienced a fall of hail, while up the dreaded 

 Pass, the snow was falling fast and made us sensible of the risk we 

 should have run in attempting to cross it on such an uncertain day. 



After the storm, which did not last long with us although the pass 

 continued obscured and hazy, I went a short way up one of the hills 

 to gather the seeds of some plants I had observed in the morning, 

 and was in a shower of snow all the time ; some of the party went up 

 another hill a little way and experienced the same thing, while around 

 our tents it was all clear again. 



The seeds alluded to, were of a pretty little plant very abundant 

 near Liti bungalow, called by Royle " Gualtheria nummularibides ;" 

 the seed-pods were of a bright blue color, and as numbers were grow- 

 ing on the same plant, they had a very pretty effect, peeping half hidden 

 from behind the small dark green leaves. Here, also, I found a large 

 bed of wild shalots. 



At night it became very cold and a sharp frost set in ; the thermo- 

 meter at daybreak again standing at 25°, and at sunrise or when the 

 sun topped the easternside of the khad, it stood at 29°. 



10th October. Thin clouds were seen as yesterday, but owing to a 

 good deal of discussion having taken place the previous evening, we 

 determined to try the Pass, intending merely to look over it and return. 



