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



The highest point of Almorah, Fort Moira, is about 5577 feet above 

 Calcutta; the general level of the ridge being from 50 to 100 feet 

 lower. This elevation ensures a temperature sufficiently high in sum- 

 mer and autumn to induce the visits of the Firefly, the Cardinal, Rocket, 

 and Mango birds, the Hoopoo, the Myna, flights of a beautiful Perro- 

 quet, the king of the crows, Bulbul, Shrike, the loud-wailing " Neoula," 

 and other denizens of the plains, who here meet the Goldfinch, Sky- 

 lark, Cuckoo, Black-bird, Field-fare, Jays, Tomtits, and Wagtails of 

 several species, the pretty Certhia himalensis or Wall-creeper, the 

 Woodcock (Simkookra), and other natives of the north; the whole 

 kept in order and number by a very strong force of ravens, owls, hawks, 

 falcons, kites, eagles, (a fine black eagle,) vultures, and demi-vultures.* 



The phenomena of the vegetable kingdom are analogous, (though in 

 part due to the agency of man,) denoting a middle term, where many 

 tropical plants will not live or flower, from the cold, while the alpine 

 ones either perish, or refuse to flower, from the heat. The climate 

 seems very congenial to many of those from the more temperate regions 

 of Central America. We have Butea frondosa, Cordia myxa, Ficus 

 religiosa, Grislea tomentosa, Sapindus acuminata, Lagerstrcemia indica, 

 Cedrela Tuna, Melia azedirach, Acacia Farnesiana, Cassia aurata, Mi- 

 chelia champaca, Yucca gloriosa, Bicinus communis, Musa sapientum, 

 Eriobotrya japonica (which, however, never matures its fruit), associated 

 with Populus ciliata, Pavia indica, Alnus obtusifolia, Juglans regia, 

 Cedrus deodara, Cupressus torulosa, Pinus longifolia, Cerasus pudum, 

 Pyrus variolosa and domestica, Crataegus crenulata, Armeniaca vulgaris, 

 Clematis, Thymus, and other northern forms. 



Such data, fortified by experience, will enable us to rate at its proper 

 worth the colonization cant which so often fills the gazettes, combined 

 with the most exaggerated pictures of Himalayan resources, and the 

 most chimerical schemes for railways, in a country where we are only 



* Gypaetos barbatus, " Gidh," the common vulture, is a corruption of the Sanscrit 

 Gridhra, which is our own word greed, greedy. Several of the birds enumerated are 

 only to be seen here during 1 the winter : the Cuckoo, " Hupooa" makes its appearance 

 in the latter half of March : it is an interesting point, perhaps still undetermined, to 

 detect the winter habitat of this bird : it would appear to be in the south. I have heard 

 them as far down as Cawnpore. 



The Melia azedarach (Betain of Almorah) agrees with the Bukayun of Meerutt, &c. 

 the ridges of the nut being somewhat less prominent. 



