1848.] Observations made on a Botanical Excursion. 397 



of porphyry and Breccia. Hills of these rocks, and similarly heaved 

 up, skirt the granite range of Parus Nath from the Ganges to as high 

 up the Soane as we went, and perfectly similar rocks occurred again on 

 the Ganges, at the N. of the same range in the islet rocks of Monghyr, 

 Colgong and Sultanpore ; they appear to form a deep bed, overlying the 

 gneiss and granite above mentioned, and to be thrown up by the great 

 range. 



The numberless little rocks of the rapids were elegantly fringed with 

 a fern I had not hitherto seen, probably Polypodium proliferum, and 

 which is the only species the Soane valley presents at this season. 



Returning over the hills, found the Boswellia, Gmelina parviflora, 

 with the common trees of the heights, also Hardwickia linata, a most 

 elegant leguminous tree, tall, erect, with an elongated coma and the 

 ultimate ramuli pendulous, covered with bipartite leaves. 



All the hills were covered with a shallow bed of alluvium, en- 

 closing abundance of agate pebbles and kunker, the former derived 

 from the quartzy strata above noticed. 



At night the fires on the Kymaon hills blazed splendidly, the flames 

 in some places leaping from hill to hill. In front of us a gigantic letter 

 W. is written in fire. 



February 23rd. — Start at daylight, moving the camp up the river 

 with great difficulty to Panchadurmah (elev. 492 feet). High N. W. 

 (the prevailing) wind generally commences at or before sunrise, and 

 moderates at sun-down : this in the narrowed valley blows with very 

 great force, and is so loaded with dust that the hills close by are often ob- 

 scured : on their subsiding the atmosphere clears remarkably suddenly. 



February 24th. — Following up the Soane to Pepurah, (elev. 517 ft.) 

 the country wooded, very wild and picturesque ; the Mahoowa tree andCe- 

 drela,Nauclea, Hardwickia very abundant with Terminalias, Pent apt eris, 

 Pongamia, Ehretia Icevis, a small tree, covered with white blossoms, 

 and the new foliage deep green, shining and viscid. A fine Stry- 

 chnos forms a dense foliaged tree, 30 — 60 feet high, some pale yellow, 

 as if dying, others deep green, both in apparent health. Feronia Ele- 

 phantum and JEgle marmelos very abundant, with various Leguminous 

 and Rubiaceous trees ; Sterculia and the dwarf Phoenix, which I have 

 never found in fruit or indeed in flower except at Dunwah. Peacocks 

 abound in the woods, and monkeys. 



3 G 2 



