364 The Turaee and Outer Mountains of Kumaoon. [May, 



These constitute the sum total of my entomological and ornithologi- 

 cal knowledge of this locality ; the following catalogue comprizes the 

 more common plants. 



Cupressus torulosa. The Cypress. " Soorye :" " Rai-sulla." 

 Pinus longifolia. The Pine. " Cheer :" " Sulla." 

 Fraxinus (Ornus) floribunda. The Ash. " Ungou." 

 Carpinus viminea. The Hornbeam. " Chumkhuruk." 

 Betula cylindrostachya, (or nitida.) « Puya-oodeesh," i. e. '* cherry- 

 alder," from its leaves : or " Chumbur-muya," which is properly the 

 Elm, not observed here. 



Alnus nepalensis or obtusifolia. " The Alder." The pundits call 

 this tree "Ootees," the Public, *' Oodees" or " Oodeesh," doubtless 

 from ood t water, with reference to its usual place of growth. The bark 

 is used in tanning, dyeing, and in the preparation of red ink. The Al- 

 morah pundits consider f ' Ootees" to be a distinct word from " Utees," 

 Aconitum heterophyllum : but in Dr. H. H. Wilson's Dictionary, the 

 two plants appear to be confounded under " Utivisha" — "a tree used in 

 dying : it is of three kinds, white, red, and black," from uti, overcoming, 

 vish, poison. Hence " Utivish," antidote. There can be little doubt 

 that " Utees" — Aconitum heterophyllum, is the corruption of this, and 

 that Dr. Wallich (quoted in Royle's Illustrations, p. 47,) was misin- 

 formed when he rendered "Utivisha" by "Summum venenum." "Uti" 

 no doubt is often equivalent to " much ;" but neither of these botanists 

 appears to have perceived the connection between Utivisha and Utees, 

 though the uses to which the Utees is applied fully bear out Wilson's 

 sense of " overcoming," and on my suggesting the correction to my 

 Almorah friends, they acknowledged its justice. Uti is defined iS much, 

 beyond, over," and seems identical with the Greek preposition " anti," 

 opposite, in place of:" falling in with the idea of much in Shakespere's 

 M vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps its sell, and falls on the other side." 

 Oopuvisha, a synonyme of Utees, from oop, reverse, and vish poison, con- 

 firms this view. Aconitum ferox, which is truly summum venenum, is 

 never called Utees, but " mour" or "mahoor" (Hindee), probably from 

 S. mudhoorum, " sweet ," " Poison;" of which " meetha" the common 

 bazar name, is a translation. Vishwa, implying a dye, seems to have 

 been the original word compounded with uti in the name of the Aldar. 

 Quercus incana. Common oak. "Banj." 

 Quercus lanata : " Reeanj," " Ranj." 



