460 
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
vegetation changes from the semi-tropical to an entirely tem¬ 
perate one. Aspidnms and Lastreas are the common Ferns; 
Polypodiums and Davallias cover the branches of the trees. I 
enclose a photo of Davallia tenuifolia growing on a tree by the 
roadside. The tree is an evergreen Oak (fig. 105). A tremendous 
rushing torrent accompanies the road most of the way, and the 
recent rains have so swollen this stream that the road in many 
places is washed away. The hillsides are covered with Maples 
(evergreen), Oaks, Albizzias, and Pinus longifolia (fig. 104), 
and as one ascends, pretty villas, surrounded with orchards of 
Pears, Apples, Peaches, Oranges, Plums, &c., on terraces, meet 
the eye; and as one nears Naini Tal the forest disappears, and 
a bazaar is entered—not a particularly clean one—at the lake 
end. Here, as one ascends the open road at the end of the lake, 
is one of the finest views in India (fig. 106). 
The lake is over a mile long, and is one of the most beautiful 
in India. The west side is almost a sheer precipice, covered 
with evergreen Oaks, Maples, Ash, Poplar, Cornus, Holly, and 
dwarf Bamboos as an underscrub, with Rhododendron arbo- 
reum on higher elevations. A road is made for foot traffic on this 
steep side by the lake, and for a botanist it is a most enjoyable 
walk. I was particularly struck with a fine herbaceous Spirasa, 
like an enormous Spiraea astilboides. There are also Loni- 
ceras, Deutzias, Crataegus, and Viburnums, reminding me very 
much of the hills in Japan. Ivy and Ampelopsis (very much like 
the old Virginia Creeper) cling to the trees. On the tremendous 
sheer rocks can be seen large-leaved Saxifrages and Begonias, 
with Anemones and innumerable Mesembryanthemums. 
Ferns, too, I think nearly all our English species, in enormous 
quantities. Here, too, is the home of Pteris cretica and Pteris 
biaurita. The beautiful dwarf Bamboo in one place growing 
amongst big boulders, covered with Athyrium Filix-foemina, and 
Moss is a sight seldom seen. There is one of the finest silk¬ 
worm moths found here ; a beautiful blue magpie feeds on 
the chrysalis, taking the cocoons from the topmost branches 
of the Oaks, bringing them down to a ragged spur on the tree, 
and tearing the silk cocoon to pieces. They are evidently very 
fond of the chrysalis, as I saw hundreds of the old cocoons torn 
to pieces. The Atlas also, a lovely light green silkworm moth, 
I caught here, with enormous twisted tails to the underwings, 
