kept ready for the purpose, more sods thrown on, and covered with earth. As soon as the dense smoke ceases, and the wood burns with a light transparent smoke, the whole is closed in and watched, lest any fissure should open. When burning in pits, the system is the same, but vent-holes are formed in the sides; and the covering of sods, &c., being more accessible, is more easily formed and kept. In pits, the wood is more conveniently packed, as shown above, (fig. 16); and the logs in the middle of the lower course should be dry, and have a few chips and refuse charcoal from former kilns among them; in other respects, the practice is the same as with the piled kiln. In some places, it may be convenient to form a kiln by digging out the side of a hill, as fig. 17; but in all cases the system is the same. If the process is properly conducted, the bulk is little reduced. In this tropical climate, where vegetation is so rapid, it is not. necessary to cut down trees for charcoal, but merely to lop off lower branches. On dry forest land, a crop of wood sufficient for charcoal can be obtained every fifth or sixth year; and on alluvial land, every third year. * H. CLEGHORN, Conservator of Forests. * These remarks were drawn up and circulated mainly for the benefit of the Public Works Department, Madras.-H. C. EXPEDITION TO THE HIGHER RANGES OF THE ANAMALAI HILLS, COIMBATORE, IN 1858.* The excursion described in the following pages was planned by Dr Macpherson, Inspector-General of Hospitals, and myself, with a view to explore the Southern Range of the Anamalai (¿.e., Elephant Hills), in the district of Coimbatore, which are sparingly laid down in the Great Trigonometrical Survey Map, while the peculiarities of their Fauna and Flora had not been recorded. The project was approved by the Right Honourable Lord Harris, then Governor of the Madras Presidency, and the services of Major D. Hamilton were sanctioned by his Excellency Sir Patrick Grant, Commander-in-chief, to accompany us as artist, to delineate the characteristic features of the country. According to previous agreement, the village, ten miles from Pulachy and six from Anamalai,t was the place of rendezvous. The party consisted of J. W. Cherry, Esq., acting-collector of Coimbatore, Drs Macpherson and Cornish, Major D. Hamilton, 21st N. I., Capt. Fane, Lieut. R. H. Beddome, 42d N. I., T. B. French, S. L. Koe, W. Fraser, civil engineer, and O. B. Irvine, Esq., assistant-collector, accompanied with seven elephants. We started at 4 A.M., and arrived at the Anamalai River at 20 minutes past 5; the distance six miles, and the road much trodden by sheep and cattle. By the light of early dawn we distinguished the candelabrum-like stems of Euphorbia antiquorum, and the drooping foliage of Salvadora indica, which in habit resembles the weeping willow, and here attains a large size, the trunk being 10 inches in diameter. After crossing the river, which was deep and rapid, in leaky basket-boats, we traversed a number of paddy fields, and entered *Read to the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 29th April 1861, and printed in their Transactions, vol. xxii. t "North Latitude 10" 27. East Longitude 77." Plate viii. Panorama of mountain range from this village, showing the eastern aspect. |