TO BR. R. WIGHT. 



xvii 



pToduces more than 3,000 sp. of which I have half the number. 

 Is it not curious how entirely European it is, considering the Lati- 

 tude etc. First it is wonderful that Kutch gundava, one of the Si- 

 moom places should have a desidedly European vegetation in the cold 

 weather, and scarcely a decidedly tropical one in the hot, when its 

 latitude is 27® 28', and it is not 500 ft. above the sea. It is one 

 of the instances proving the vast effect of contiguity in deter- 

 mining the vegetation. All the birds are European. Finches, 

 Rooks, red legged Crows, etc. I take great interest now in Or- 

 nihology, but of course I only yet possess a slight knowledge of the 

 subject, since one science, such as botany, is quite sufficient occupa- 

 tion. 



Many thanks for the offer of assistance in a systematic work. 

 When I begin, I pledge myself to a systematic and comprehensive 

 catalogue: including all information of habit, geographical site etc. 

 I trust to reach 12,000 sp. if I return from Affghanisthan through 

 Cashmeer and along the Himaleah to Simla. Adieu, with best wishes, 

 would that I had an amulet to guard you against sickness. 



Kofiristhan, March 6th 1840. 



Your double letter reached me yesterday ; you judged rightly, 

 that with the racy enclosure has never reached me : very likely 

 it was part of a six weeks despatch which was plundered 

 m route to me. I rejoice heartily that you so successfully re° 

 sisted the attack of that fell monster cholera, who ought to have 

 been content with Cassin, and spared all other true Botanists for 

 years to come. I am sorry to see what you say of your book : it is 

 really too hard that the most deserving works, are always the least 

 patronised, and so always bring loss upon their authors. There is 

 only one way of avoiding this, viz. withholding information which the 

 public are not worthy to have. I have long thought of the hard- 

 ship which all authors who engage in extensive enterprises are subject- 

 ed to, not only in the mere loss of time, but from the arbitrariness of 

 the public, who will not allow more time, and more money for the in- 

 vestigation of difficult tribes, than for others comparatively easy. 



c 



