6o NOTES OF A BOTANICAL TOUR IN TRAVANCOI0^, et'ci 
and 2,000 feet in height. It is surrounded on all sides with 
magnificent high forest and would be an admirable centre from 
which to make excursions. 
Poonamudt^zxiA Murchiston are tea estates 25 and 28 miles^ 
respectively, from Coolatoorpooly ; Poonamudi is about 2,500 feet 
and Murchiston about 2,000 feet. From Poonamudi the hills rise 
to 4,000 or more feet in height, and in many places are covered 
with black impenetrable forests, wholly unexplored by any 
botanist. Hill tents would be required to explore this part of the 
country, and some precaution would have to be taken to prevent 
wild elephants damaging the camp. Wild animals are said to be 
abundant, such as tige..s, bison, and sambhur. From Murchiston, 
botanical tours might advantageously be made on the lower slopes 
of the hills, in the direction of Trivandrum. 
(e) Quilon would form a good station for the collector. The 
backwaters contain a great variety of aquatic plants ; and there is 
a coral reef on which many kinds of marine algm are to be found, 
( f) Trivandrum is not a centre of any importance from a botani- 
cal point of view. 
(g) Nagercotl is a big straggling native town, 43 miles to the 
south of Trivandrum. It is 12 miles from Cape Comorin; and 12 
miles from Thadikarama, which lies at the foot of the Ashamboo hills, 
and where there is a good Forest bungalow. Six miles from Thadi- 
karama, there is a tea plantation, where, I dare say, a collector could 
be put up ; but to explore the mountains properly, tents would be 
needed. 
Ayur, Coolatoorpooly, and Thadikarama have all of them a bad 
reputation for fever from the end of January to the end of May, 
The hill stations are said to be healthy all the year round. During 
December and January, there occur on these hills violent gusts of 
wind, which are generated on the cold plateau. These gusts last 
as a rule, only for a very short time ; but they are intensely cold, and 
are said to be dangerous to persons who are not properly protected 
from them at nights. I stayed with several planters on the hills, from 
whom I received much kind hospitality and help; and they would, I 
am sure, cordially assist any one sent to explore the countries lying 
around their plantations. 
