1849.] The Turaee and Outer Mountains of Kumaoon. 639 



of 40 feet, considered by some only a variety of the azedarach." As- 

 suredly no tree is less entitled to the epithet of " sempervirens" than 

 the Bukayun, which for 3 or 4 months annually, is the most marked 

 of the deciduous trees of northern India. The same species may be 

 evergreen in the damp and equable temperature of the West Indies ; 

 and, if we suppose Dr. Roxburgh to have made his descriptions from 

 very young plants (which in many species are more or less evergreen,) 

 his M. sempervirens may be accounted for. He states it to be " common 

 throughout India," and to blossom more or less throughout the year, 

 which is another difficulty, the Bukayun being very periodical, and 

 flowering at Almorah, for example, in April, May or a month later than 

 at Meerut. 



I cannot find that Dr. Roxburgh identifies his Melia azedarach with 

 the " Dek," as distinguished by Dr. Royle from the " Bukayun," nor 

 that he had ever heard of such a tree. However, as Dr. Royle has 

 done so ; and as the Bukayun also answers to the description of M. 

 azedarach, the only conclusion is that they are one and the same, which 

 is the common opinion in northern India. The Bukayun is a smaller 

 tree than the Neem, and as muha denotes best, excellent, as well as 

 great, muha-neem must apply to its blossoms and their odor, rather than 

 to its dimensions, possibly also to the extreme bitterness of the bark, 

 an infusion of which is used in the mountains to expel leeches. 



The expression " spreading tree" used by General Hardwick for the 

 Melia of Kotdwara is exceedingly opposite to the Bukayun, and is an 

 exact translation of the Persian " Azad-i-durukht," as well as of its 

 Sanscrit equivalent, "Nibundh." The vernacular terms " Bakarjun" 

 of Bengal, and " Bukayun" of Hindoostan, are to be traced in the 

 Sanscrit roots vuk, vukr, bent, crooked (boughs,) and afford some proof 

 that the tree is indigenous to India, but in Kumaoon at least it never 

 occurs to my knowledge but in spots near which it is likely to have been 

 planted. The people, however, have their own name for it — " Betain." 

 The fruit remains on the tree a full year, untouched by beast or bird 

 excepting the Bulbuls, (Ixos jocosus,) who may be observed devouring 

 it with avidity, and thus perhaps it has been scattered so far as to in- 

 duce in some a belief that it is indigenous, as indeed it may be.) 



Doubtful, (Garuga pinnata.) 



Doubtful, (Rhododendron puniceum, Roxb. arboreum, auct.) 



