NATATORES AND GRALLATORES. 123 



The valley of Nepal in shape resembles an oval or rather a diamond, 

 being about sixteen miles in largest diameter either way ; it is situated 

 about half way between the plains of India and those of Tibet. The 

 distribution of its seasons is essentially tropical ; the valley is ele- 

 vated above the sea about four thousand five hundred feet ; and conse- 

 quently the temperature averages from ten to fifteen degrees of Fahrenheit 

 lower than that of India generally. The face of the valley is bare of 

 wood and jungle, nearly every part of it being under cultivation, of 

 which rice forms the principal object ; and its population is dense 

 and spread, at all times, for one industrious purpose or other, over 

 almost every field in the country. The streams are numerous, but 

 shallow: permanent swamps are small, but frequent. From the 

 middle of November to the middle of February, little rain falls ; the 

 soil becomes gradually and slowly desiccated of its autumnal load of 

 moisture ; the cold is too severe for winter crops ; and, hardly a blade of 

 grass, or of corn, is then to be seen. From the middle of February to the 

 middle of June, various sorts of mustard, pulse, field vegetables, and 

 wheat, successively occupy a dry soil, which is daily growing drier; the 

 accessions of fresh moisture from the spring showers being very moderate. 

 From July to October the rains prevail, and rice covers the greatest part 

 of the land; which is flooded, to promote its growth, in the earlier months: 

 in the later months, as the successive crops ripen, the water is no longer 

 artificially retained. The rains terminate usually with September : the 

 first crops of rice are cut in the earlier fortnight of that month; and the 

 last crops in the concluding half of October. 



These general remarks upon the position, climate, and aspect of the 

 valley will prevcTit the necessity of reiteration, by showing at once how far 

 the country is fitted for the temporary abode of the birds alluded to: and, 

 with reference to those birds which seek and frequent moist woods, it is only 

 necessary to add, that the mountains conlining the valley are covered every 



