NAINI TAL 
63 
This is not the place to descant upon the wonderful pillar of 
wrought iron nearly 24 feet long, and of an average diameter of 14 
inches. A truly marvellous piece of forging for the fifth century a.d. 
And what a testimonial for the climate that the inscription is still 
quite sharp after being exposed to the weather for fourteen centuries! 
Fig. 4. 
Delhi has been called the Eome of India, but whereas Romans 
speak of the Eternal City, Delhi has changed its site at least seven 
times in its history, and magnificent remains of some of its pre¬ 
decessors survive at Lalkot and Indrapat. 
Naini Tal, lat. 29° 30' 1ST., alt. 6500 ft. 
November 16th—23rd, 1903. 
Unlike Simla and Darjiling, which stand astride lofty ridges, Naini 
Tal lies in a basin by a lake, a situation which, however pleasant it 
may be in summer, gives it in late autumn a dank feel. In summer 
it affords good collecting, I am told, but in November I found but 
few insects, and those mostly battered and forlorn-looking. The 
fauna, though more Oriental than at Simla, a degree and a half to 
the north, is much more Palaearctic than at Lahore, which is yet 
half a degree north of Simla, but of course upon the plain. 
A very clear picture remains with me of a bright sunny afternoon, 
with a raw chill in the air very suggestive of home. On the one 
hand are Rhododendrons and Thujas growing as forest trees, and hard 
by cactus-like Euphorbias some 15 feet in height; on the other, Poplars 
are shedding their golden leaves in bright contrast to the crimson of 
the wild Ampelojosis (I cannot call it “ Virginian ” creeper); a Brim¬ 
stone 1 butterfly dashes wildly past, then a belated Tortoise-shell 2 
or Red Admiral 3 darts up from the path only to return again to 
the same stone, while several Small Coppers 4 disport themselves 
1 Probably Gonepteryx nipalensis , but possibly a Catopsilia. 
2 Vanessa kashmir ensis. 3 Pyrameis indica. 
4 Chrysophanus pavana. 
