1846.] and Boorun Passes over the Himalaya. 93 



Royle's S. perfoliata), the Sphelia latifolia of Don, Polygonum molle (or 

 polystachyum), brunonis, and vacciniifolium, (the last on rocks, a beau- 

 tiful species), Lonicera obovata, Senecio nigricans, Achillcea millifolia, 

 a yellow Tanacetura, Oxyria elatior, Sibbaldia procumbens, Spircea 

 kamschatkika, (very like meadow-sweet), several Sedums ; Morina lon- 

 gifolia, Caltha himalensis, Delphinium vestitum, Aconitum heterophyl- 

 lum, Phlomis bracteosa, Corydalis govaniana, Geranium wallichianum, 

 Picrorhiza kurrooa, and many more. Rhododendron campanulatum, is 

 common in the region of birch, and is called Chumreesh, Simreesh, 

 Simrat, Simbur, &c. ; and above it is the much smaller Rhododendron 

 lepidotum or anthopogon with aromatic leaves, smelling when bruised 

 like those of walnut ; it is called Talsur. The capsules are in dense ter- 

 minal clusters, and the flowers are said to be red. Gualtheria tricho- 

 phylla with its beautiful azure fleshy calyx abounds on the sunny banks. 

 The above are so general in all the region above the forest on the 

 Snowy range, that it will be needless to specify them on every occasion. 

 The Cyananthus lobata covers extensive tracts with its blue (occasion- 

 ally white) periwinkle -like flowers; at and above Nooroo Bassa on the 

 north side of the Roopin Pass, I found the seed ripe on the 20th of 

 September, while lower down, the plant was still in full bloom. In the 

 same way, on the Changsheel Range, Morina longifolia was all ripe on the 

 25th September, while on the 30th, it was still in full flower on Huttoo. 

 Rhododendron arboreum flowers in February and March at 7,000 feet, 

 and is not ripe till Christmas ; but R. campanulatum and anthopogon 

 (Talsur) which flower in May, June, and July, at 12,000 feet, are ripe 

 by the end of October. A strange alchymy of nature this, to ripen her 

 products first in the colder sites, but perhaps necessary to the existence 

 of plants in these elevated spots, where but for this provision, the early 

 winter would prevent their ever coming to maturity. " II est demontre 

 (says the brilliant Frenchman,) que les choses ne peuvent etre autre- 

 ment : car, tout etant fait pour une fin, tout est necessairement pour la 

 meilleure fin. Remarquez bien que les nez ont ete faits pour porter 

 des lunettes, aussi avons nous des lunettes. Les jambes sont visiblement 

 institutes pour etre chaussees, et nous avous des chausses. Les pierres 

 ont ete formees pour etre taillees, et pour en faire des chateaux, aussi 

 monseigneur a un tres-beau chateau ; et les cochons etant faits pour etre 

 manges, nous mangeons du pore toute 1'anneV 



