1 168 Reply to the Minute of Cap. Munro. [Nov. 



mission to seeds ; thus we find several Egyptian, Arabian, Persian and 

 African plants in Sinde ; that they have not spread into India seems 

 also easily accounted for. The Indian desert of Jesulmeer proves in a 

 south eastern direction a sufficient preventative. The course via the 

 banks of the Indus is to a narrow extent only open to the north-east, 

 and accordingly w T e find some Egyptian forms extending to Delhi and 

 its neighbourhood, as has been remarked by my friend Doctor Royle 

 in his illustrations of Indian Botany, p. 70, and p. 160. 



Salvadora persica, Capparis aphylla and Farsetia, are found through- 

 out Sinde ; however Giseckia so abundant near Ferozepoor, is not found 

 in Lower Sinde ; Orobanche Calotropidis, Edgw : is found from Umballa 

 to Kurrachee, and is extremely abundant in Lower Sinde ; the flowers of 

 this plant are changeable, being blue at first and becoming pale yellow, 

 hence two varieties have been supposed to exist. No scitameneous or 

 orchideous plant exists in Sinde ; of the latter order Zeuxine is sparing- 

 ly found under the Tamarisks, nearly as far as Subzulkote, following the 

 course of the river. 



The coast line alluded to above offers no obstacle to the diffusion of 

 plants in a southerly direction via Cutch and Goozerat towards Bombay, 

 but as yet these countries, the Delta of the Indus and the south-wes- 

 tern tail of the desert are botanically unknown ; in the other direction 

 a botanical excursion to Sonmeeanee Bay or farther if possible, would 

 serve to connect our Indian flora with that of Africa, Persia and Arabia. 



I have still some curious Sinde plants of which I hope to give an 

 account hereafter. 



Subathoo, 27 th September, 1847. 



Reply to the Minute by Capt. Munro, regarding the MS. of the 

 " Burnes drawings."" — By E. Blyth, Esq. 



To the Secretaries of the Asiatic Society, 

 Gentlemen,— As it has been deemed expedient to publish in the f Pro- 

 ceedings of the Society' the minute by Capt. W. Munro, reflecting (as I 

 cannot but think) with very undue severity on the mode in which I have 

 prepared the descriptive letter-press to illustrate the lithographed drawings 

 of the late Sir A. Burnes, I must now request that you will permit me to 

 be heard in reply, and that you will favor me by awarding the same publicity 

 to this letter as has been granted to the aspersions in question. 



