3rd.—To Topehee. The vegetation of Kaloo is far less varied than that of Hajeeguk, for it presents no such swampy ravines at such elevations.
The plants of the hills around Kaloo villages continue half-way up, on the road over the ravine Corvisartia is plentiful, with a Labiata, Calyce Royleæ, in profusion; this and Cnici form the chief vegetation; Papaveraceæ also continue.
Up the 1st ascent Hingoid tenuifolia, Ephedra stricta, Ribes commence, Ephedra continuing throughout wherever the bare rocks project through the loose soil; one-third way up, Statice long and short-peduncled commence with an Astragalus. The bulk of the vegetation is an Artemisia; Royleoid and Chenopodium villosum continue, and do so for half-way up.
At the black rock half-way up, Dianthus, Astragalus, Crotalarioid, Rosæ sp., Statice pulvinata, are common, this last and Artemisia are the chief features: Scutellaria, Stellaria dichotoma, Umbellifera of Yonutt, Corvisartia, wild Gramineæ of Yonutt, Arenaria fruticosa, Festuca triticoides continues. Borago of upper Kaloo, and the Glauci of Kaloo occur. Astragali 2 or 3 sp., Silene sp., but the chief vegetation is Artemisia.
On the summit, Corvisartia, Boragineæ, Gramineæ, several; a straggling Plectranthus cœruleus, Arenaria fruticosa, Allium rubrum, Cnici 2, the yellow Erigeronoid of Hajeeguk summit, occur on the descent just below the ridge, and on this side the Statice pulvinata is in profusion, and of large size. Large marmot, with teeth like those of a rat.
4th.—Proceeded to Bamean. At Topehee was found a curious succulent Hypericum, it is odd that the leaves, etc. of these succulent saline plants are cold; strikingly so. Connected with this low temperature, is the fact, that if shut up in a box with other plants, and water thrown in, that even though they be at the top, they cause the deposit of all the water that passes up in the shape of vapour, while the ordinary plants remain quite dry! A wonderful provision of nature adapting them the more to extremely dry stations. About Topehee, Cichorium is common; Salvia of Oonnye, Geranium, Artemisia exaltata of Sir-i-Chushme, and Pulmonaria, so common everywhere, occur; Glaucum swarms in saline marshy places. Triglochin is also found, also Ranunculus stoloniferæ trilobata of Kaloo, Hippuris. The flat-calyxed Boraginea, Melilotus officinalis also found; Potamogeton cylindrifolia, Centaurea lutea.
There also occurs along the barren slopes of the hills a glaucous shrub, much like that between Chunni and Dund-i-Goolai, decumbens, subspinos: glauco alb. fruct. baccato drupaceis, oblongis, purpuris, basi calyce parvo, 5-fido, stylo brevi apiculatis, putamina osseo-crasso oblongo ovato, Sem. immatur.
8th.—Bamean. The fish, so far as I have caught any, seem to be one trout, and two barbels. Of 5 species, one of these takes the worm greedily, the length of the intestines varied in every instance, and of three the relative lengths of body and canal were as follows:
Inches. Canal.
Body 6 (times ) 2.125 ( Of three since captured and
Body 7 (longer ) 2½ ( about 8 inches long, all
Body 10½ (than the) 3½ ( nearly the same size, the
(body. ) ( length of the canal was
( three times longer than the
( body.
The intestines as usual taper almost gradually from the stomach and œsophagus, and are gorged with greenish pulp.