AFFGHAN PLANTS DISAPPEAR. 



493 



Adiantum. Started at 5 hours 40 minutes and reached at 11-30; 

 distance at least eighteen miles. 



Hussun Abdul, is a pretty place, particularly the broken ground 

 about the sacred stream, and the tank, in which Mahaseers abound ; the 

 water beautiful, many trees occur, especially Morus, Salix and Ficus. 



Zyziphus is a fine tree here, Phoenix, Khuggur, Bukkein, Ficus, 

 and Cupressus occur. 



The jackdaw, mina, blue and chesnut kingfisher, a noisy bird. 

 The small kingfisher, black and white kingfisher common : Myopho- 

 nus, Pomatorrhinus. 



2\st. — The chief cultivation here is bajra, and Zea maize. The 

 former produces a second crop from branches ; hence it is left stand- 

 ing after the top spike, which is the largest, is picked ; vegetation 

 chiefly Indian, very few Affghan forms remaining, those of the hills 

 are Mimosa, Adhatoda, and Euonymus. 



The water plants are all decidedly tropical ; no Epilobium seen 

 since leaving Peshawur : Eclipta, CyperaceEe. 



Trichodesma, Cannabis. 



Fish have few engaging habits, the tame Mahaseers take no notice 

 of any one until food is thrown to them. 



Tagetes, Sud Buruk, is a curious genus, on account of its simple 

 tubular involucrum, very entire and pappus florets, conduplicate in 

 oestivation, all florets fseminine are ligulate ; are the folded up ones 

 representations of the males ? 



22nd. — To Janika Sung, seventeen miles : the country continues 

 much the same. The road passes out of Hussun Abdul over a low 

 stony elevation, and enters another valley, the exit from which is 

 through the Maha Gullah : a large Serai is passed about two and a 

 half miles from the Boorgi ; in the Gullah near this, is a portion of a 

 formed road. Janika Sung is a small village, about five miles from 

 the Boorgi. 



The face of the country is undulated, intersected by ravines, rather 

 thickly covered with the large Mimosa and Bheir : the same may 

 be seen in every direction. 



Affghan plants have nearly ended, Moacurra and Euonymus alone 

 continuing. At the Maha Gullah a Carissa, and a Zaitoon, Ehretioi- 

 des. This defile is picturesque, the wood prettily contrasted with 

 bits of grassy ground. Adhatoda in abundance. 



The Maha Gullah was formerly a notorious place for robbers, but 

 is now quite safe, which says much for the Seikh rule. 



