but which I made by aneroid 8,200 feet. In March it was quite cold up there, and the cholahs were filled with beautiful rhododendrons in flower (R. arboreum), some of which attained thirty or forty feet in height. Another beautiful plant which grew there is Lilium neilgherrense, which, through the help of Mr. Morgan of the Forest Department, I afterwards introduced into cultivation, and figured for the first time in my work on “Lilies," but like many other species of lilies it has not proved as easy to keep as it was to introduce. Of birds I made a nice little collection in the Travancore Hills, but I found that collecting and sport do not well combine, as one cannot shoot birds without the risk of disturbing game, to which my companions naturally objected. But though there are a certain number of species peculiar to these mountains, they are nothing like as numerous, as varied or as interesting as the birds of the Himalayas.
After spending six weeks very pleasantly in camp, Bridgeman and I left Peermaad and rode twenty-two miles to the ghaut or pass which goes down to the plains. Sending our ponies back we went on for ten miles to Cumbum in a bullock bandy. From there we went on for thirty-five miles to Periacolum, near the foot of the Palni Hills, where Arbuthnot had a bungalow. We walked up a well-graded path through a beautiful forest to about 5,000 feet, and found a pleasant party of engineer officers in the bungalow. The general features of this group of mountains are very similar to those of the Nilgiri Hills, consisting of grassy downs interspersed with wooded dingles or cholahs. At 7,000 feet Lord Napier had a pretty little bungalow, which commanded a lovely view of the plains, and another man had a garden where some English fruits and vegetables throve very well. Potatoes were as good as in England, and many Australian trees had been planted and grew very fast and well. But at that time there were hardly any residents in these hills, and both sambur, ibex and elephants were fairly numerous. I collected some birds which are peculiar to this range, including a blackbird.
We left Madras by sea and reached Calcutta on March 30th. On landing we were met by a brother officer who was aide-de-camp to Lord Mayo, then Governor-General, and who brought us an invitation to stay at Government House, We remained there a few days and took part in a day's hog hunting with the Calcutta Tent Club. At the Calcutta Museum I found Dr. Anderson, the then Superintendent, who had lately returned from an expedition to Upper Burmah and the frontiers of Yunnan. I consulted him as to the possibility of exploring the Mishmi Hills on the extreme north-east frontier of Assam, where many rare birds and animals were known to exist, and which I had intended to visit if possible. But, owing to the recent murder of two missionaries, Messrs. Krick and Bowie, in those hills, it was considered too dangerous, and Lord Mayo told me plainly that it would not be allowed by the Government, as they had already had a great deal of trouble in punishing the murderers, and had given orders that no one was to be allowed to go beyond the frontier of Assam.
He gave us an introduction to Colonel Haughton, who was then Com¬ missioner of Cooch Behar, and it was arranged that we should accompany a hunting party, which was being arranged by Dr, Brougham in the Terai
