402 Observations made on a Botanical Excursion. [Oct. 



ed to the empty bed of a mountain torrent, which had cut a perpendi- 

 cular valley through at least 30 feet of alluvium. Thence we plunged 

 into a dense forest, chiefly of the above mentioned trees, with Zizyphi 

 and several species of Acacia ; a Pterospermum different from the more 

 common or Parus Nath species, together with that plant, occur in the 

 woods, with dwarf Bauhinias, but neither Ferns, Lichens, mosses, Orchi- 

 dece, or other tribes of a damp climate. Our course was directed towards 

 Mungeza Peak, a remarkable projecting spur or nose of the Kymaon, 

 between which and a conical hill the path led. Whether on the elephants 

 or on foot, the thorny Zizyphi, Acacias, &c. were most troublesome, 

 and all our previous scratchings were nothing to this. The low hills 

 are round-backed masses of sandstone, with beds of shale interposed, 

 but no coal. Peacocks and jungle fowl are very frequent, the squabling 

 of the former and hooting of the monkeys constantly grating on the ear ; 

 other birds were very common. From the defile we emerged on to an 

 open plain, halting at the village of Sulkun, elevated 671 feet. 



In the afternoon examined the conical hill, which, like that near 

 Rotas, is of stratified beds of limestone, capped with sandstone. A 

 stream runs round its base, cutting through the alluvium to the subja- 

 cent rock, which is exposed and contains oblate spheres of limestone. 

 These spheres are from the size of a fist to a child's head, or even 

 much larger, are excessively hard and neither laminated nor formed of 

 concentric layers. What they are I cannot tell, but have seen similar 

 spheres from the Silurian rocks of Wales. At the top of the hill the 

 sandstone cap was perpendicular on all sides, and its dry top covered 

 with small trees, especially of Cochlospermum. A few larger trees were 

 of Fici, which clung to the edge of the rocks, and by forcing their roots 

 into the intestines detached enormous masses, affording good dens for 

 bears and other wild animals. From the top the view of rock, river, 

 forest and plain, was very fine, the edge ranging over a broad flat girt 

 by the scarped hills of the Kymaon. The latter were continued along 

 the Soane banks, further west, in a rugged range of hills. 



From Sulkun the isolated table-topped hill of Bidjegur is seen, with 

 its one large tree and the Palace at top, but the distance is considerable. 



We were delayed three days at Sulkun, from inability to get the 

 carts, &c. on, and my time being precious, I here took leave of Mr. 

 Williams and his hospitable companions and started for Mirzapore. Mr. 



