Edward S. Ross field notes

forest of evergreen trees mixed with teak covers the hills. A large swampy lake lies to the south of the area. Stones area scarce, the soil is rather sandy and dry. Warm, sunny morning. 150 specimens.

STOP 144 - MAHARASHTRA: 3 MI. W. SAKOLI 1-30-62 220 METERS 250 specimens

The deciduous teak forests of the Deccan trap countryside give way to wholy evergreen forests some distance east of Nagpur. These specimens were collected in a mixed evergreen forest, though sal was the most common species. Rough lave stones were scattered about on the otherwise bare ground beneath the trees. Though the forest was extremely dry, heavy rainfall during the rainy season had left the ground

beaten and packed, and many of the stones were left on small rises or pedestals of soil. Termites had consumed nearly all branches and stumps on the ground, the usual procedure in sal forests of this type. Topography was nearly lacking; the area was either flat of gently rolling.

STOP 145 - MAHARASHTRA: 9 MI E. DEORI 340 METERS 150 specimens. 1-30-62

A brief stop in a mixed evergreen forest on a rolling plain marked by occasional low hills. Soil sandy but well packed. Forest more open than that of Stop 144, with frequent grassy, clear spots. Specimens collected primarily under stones. Conditions very dry.

MADHYA PRADESH

STOP 146- M.P.: 10 MI. E. CHICHOLA 1-30-62 300 METERS 100 specimens

A few months and a vial of small diptera were collected at the Tappa Rest House, located in a flat area surrounded by low hills, rather deforested by local villagers. Tappa itself is a small, tile-roofed village along the Nagpur-Rajpur road. Mildly cool evening. Very dry area.

STOP 147 - M.P.: 11 MI. S.W. OHAMTARI 1-31-62 340 METERS 200 SPECIMENS

Low, broad, gently rolling hills covered with a mixed evergreen-decidious forest. Trees small, affording only partial shade to the stony ground. Specimens collected under crystaline sandstone rocks primarily; ground sandy but well packed - very dry.

STOP 148 - M.P.: 4 MI. S. KANKER 1-31-62 360 METERS 1500 SPECIMENS

Kanker is located in a small valley among peculiar, eroded granite outcrops. These boulder hills are heavily forested with a variety of trees, mostly evergreens. Though conditions were quite dry, there was evidence of a good rainfall average during the wet season. These insects were collected along a small creek in the valley itself, bordered by low forests and some very large acacia-like trees. The ground near the stream was moist though the forest itself was dry. Sweeping the wet sand and herbs, reeds, and grass along the stream bark proved

very productive.

STOP 149 - M.P.: 14 MI. S. KANKER, 450 METERS, I-31-62.

Dense, almost entirely evergreen forest of large trees and vines at the foot of a steep ghat section. An understory of bamboo in some places, young trees and shrubs and grass in others. Camp located in the forest along a small stream. The sides of the little valley were formed by granite hills strewn with exfoliating granite rocks which had largely decomposed in places, forming a good layer of soil in the slopes. The ground beneath the stones was moist. Sandy granite was found in the more gentle slopes, especially near the stream. Patches of forest had been cut to make way for the planting of young teak trees. Some bark

collecting was therefore productive. In one clearing, planted with teak seedlings. 12 inches high, grass and herbs had grown up; along the borders of this manmade meadow, in the shade near small springs and creeks, sweeping yielded a large quantity of small diptera, coleoptera, etc. Weather during the day - warm and sunny, becoming cool in the evening, chilly by morning. 2000 specimens.

KESKAL village just at the top of the same ghat.

STOP 150 - M.P.: 9 MI. N. PHARASGAON, 580 METERS, II-1-62

Once over the granite ghats mentioned above, one enters upon a broad, gently-rolling plateau-like plain 500-600 meters in elevation, the only emphasis on topography being an occasional low, forested granite hill. This was a quick roadside

Pharagaon is sometimes spelled without an H.

stop near areas of "rehabilitation" work with primitive people, on the Raipur-Bastar road. The heavy, blade soil was moist in the shade of ficus and other medium-to-large trees. The forest here was fairly cut up to afford crop room for imported tribes. Specimens were collected primarily in a large pond by sweeping through aquatic plants, leaves, and dead grass at the edges.

1000 specimens

STOP 151 - M.P.: PHARASGAON, 550 METERS, II-1-62.

Sal forest on rolling plain. Soil moist-heavy, black, and well packed. Recently felled sal trees and branches were scattered about on the bare ground. Some patches of grass grew along the road. 250 specimens.

STOP 152 - M.P.: 4 MI. N. JAGDALPUR, 450 METERS II-2-62 200 specimens

Mixed evergreens forest-sal, ficus, etc., on a rocky knoll bordered by open, grassy fields and patches of lantara bushes - Soil, dry; warm, sunny day.

ORISSA

STOP 153 - ORISSA: 8 MI. N.W. KORAPUT, 775 METERS II-2-62

(Note: specimen labels bear the direction W.; N.W. is correct).

Forested hillside bordered by plowed fields. Many large mango trees. Specimens collected under stores in dense brush - lantara, etc.; some net-collected specimens from grassy fields nearby.

150 specimens.

STOP 154 - ORISSA: 3 MI. S.E. POTTANGI, 3345 FEET II-3-62 1000 specimens.

East of Koraputthe road begins to descend the loose collection of Eastern Ghats, hills rounded and weathered with exposed exfoliating surfaces of rocks here and there showing through scrub jungle. The upper hill regions especially have in historic times been seriously deforested by shifting agricultural practices, though some of the more rocky hills no doubt never supported a dense forest cover. These specimens were collected on a grassy knoll near the road, a clump of trees shaded many stones and had built up a layer of leaf litter among them. The [illegible], rather compact soil was very dry.

STOP 155 - ORISSA: 13 MI. S.E. POTTANGI, 550 METERS, II-4-62

About 250 specimens were collected near the Orissa [smuggling?] checkpost and rest house at SUNKI, located in a narrow valley on the monsoon face of the Eastern Ghats. The forest consisted of a large variety of evergreen and some decidious trees; very old wild mangos and large ficus grew about among thorny acacia-like species. In places on the steep slppes bamboo and thorn-bush thickets were impenetrably dense. Some flying and aquatic insects were collected along a small stream and adjacent plowed fields in the floor of the valley. All other specimens were collected under stones on the forested hill slopes. A few small diptera and moths came to the light - night still and chilly. 250 specimens. Slopes partially shady exposure.

STOP 156 - A.P.: 6 MI. W. SALUR, 285 METERS. II-4-62

150 specimens

Extremely dry, rocky slope forested with small thorny trees and jungly vines; many species deciduous or semi-decidious. Steep, sunny exposure on the eastern slope of the Eastern Ghats, not for above the Coromandel Plain.

The flora on the eastern slopes of the ghats shows a marked change from the pleateau flora to the rest. Heavy rainfall occurs during monsoon months; moisture-laden winds from the Bay of Bengal drops large amounts on the ghats, especially along their northern extremity. 8 months of the year are extremely dry, however, and the forest, on the rocky, exposed slopes especially, remains small (stop 156). In the sheltered canyons and valleys,

where a thick layer of soil has accumulated, jungle conditions occur; mango trees grow to an immense [illegible] and vines drape themselves over their branches. Some of the creeks retain water nearly all year. (stop 155).

STOP 157 - A.P.: 8 MI. N.E. TUNI, 30 METERS, II-5-62 150 specimens.

Typical Coromandel countryside: flat coastal plain, scared by agriculture, sporting occasional hillocks covered with low thorn bush (2-4 ft. high). These specimens were collected under stones on a rocky hill near [Mamavaram?] village. Ground - somewhat sandy and very dry. Some insects were collected in a plowed (bare) field near a strip of palms and a grove of mango and cashews. Warm, sunny afternoon; breezy.

STOP 158 - A.P.: 15 MI. S.W. RAJAHMUNDRY, II-5-62 15 METERS 2500 specimens

Camp located in the compound of the P.W.D. rest house at PANGIDI village, about 8 miles from the western [banle?] of the Godovari river. Surrounding country entirely disturbed by agriculture and mango groves. Large trees, a mango group, and some "need lots" near camp. The area was quite dry locally, though many little ponds and irrigation ditches marked the field areas not far away. Warm, still evening (75° F); specimens taken up to about 10 P.M.

STOP 159 - A.P.: 5 MI S.E. ASHWARAOPET, 100 METERS. II-6-62 500 specimens

Patch of original vegetation -

dense forest of large and small mostly evergreen, some decidious trees carved extensively with vines; understory of thorn scrub. Ground and bark quite dry. Some specimens were collected under the barks of a dead stump where some moisture was retained (especially under bark below ground level.) Countryside flat plain.

STOP 160 - A.P. 5 MI. W. ASHWARAOPET, 200 METERS. II-6-62

75 specimens were collected under stones; quick stop on a low hill covered with thin thorn scrub - many deciduous species. The rocks were a soft, gray [mudstone?] and sandstone; the ground was gray and sandy but well packed. Conditions extremely dry.

STOP 161 - A.P.: MI. E. KHAMMAN, 225 METERS, II-6-62 700 specimens.

Camp situated in the compound of the rest house at THANIKALLA. Surrounding landscape - disturbed agricultural land with occasional patches of mangos and dry, weedy fields. Some irrigated land near tanks or ponds, though conditions were otherwise quite dry. Warm evening (75° F); a breeze came up by 9 P.M., however, and light collecting dropped off.

STOP 162 - A.P.: 4 MI. W. KHAMMAM, 100 METERS, II-7-62 150 specimens.

In the Khammam area the so called coastal plain is characterized by many hillocks of granite, outcropping steeply from gently rolling flatlands. The plain itself is much more dry and less farmed

than the regions nearer the coast. These specimens were collected under stones on the steep slopes of one hillock near Khammam; the vegetation consisted of clumps of grass between the rocks and scattered thorn bushes 2 to 3 feet high. The ground was dry in most places, slightly moist below the surface in the shade of large boulders.

STOP 163 - A.P.: 2 MI. W. NARKATPALLI, 300 METERS, II-7-62 400 specimens.

Isolated granite hill in rolling plain countryside. Dry area, sunny exposure. Vegetation - low bushes scattered among large granite [illegible]; clumps of grass here and there. Soil - granite decomposition type - sandy. Surrounding flatland - dry, weedy fields, some of which were tilled and planted

during the rainy season. No trees nearby. Specimens taken primarily under stones on the steep slopes of the hill and just at the base. Hot, sunny afternoon 90° F.

STOP 164 - A.P.: 10 MI. N.W. SADASEOPET, 600 METERS. II-8-62 200 specimens.

Low lava hill in the fringe of Deccan lava country, Grassy slopes spotted with a few small bushes and large chunks of scoria. Red-brown soil, very dry. Shady and partially shady exposures. Some specimens were collected about ½ mile S.E. under stones beneath a large banyan tree along the road, some near a little temple on top of the hill nearby. Hot, sunny day - 90° F.

MAHARASHTRA STOP 165 - MAHARASHTRA: 20 MI. N.W. SHOLAPUR, 450 METERS, II-8-62

Open Deccan countryside; village of MOHOL nearby. Specimens collected at the light in the compound of the Mohol Rest House from dark to about 9:30 P.M. Warm, still evening. A few trees grow about the compound; grass fields nearby. 100 specimens.

STOP 166 - MAHARASHTRA: 5 MI. S.E. INDAPUR, 450 meters, II-9-62 100 specimens.

Typical open Deccan plain, extremely dry in February. Quick roadside stop; specimens collected beneath broken basalt stones in the shade of roadside trees. Black ground dry but rather loosely packed.

call it POONA, INDIA STOP 167 - MAHARASHTRA: POONA, 1800 FEET, II-10-62 150 Spec. Speciments were collected in a yard compound, Ganesh Kahind district. Surrounding area disturbed residential suburbs, characterized by gardens and trees. A total of about 200 specimens were collected in Poona on three different occassions; only those collected II-10 bear stop number 167. Other lots are simply marked "Poona" followed by the corresponding date. Perhaps the month & day should be left blank on the label, to be filled in by hand. There are 3 different dates, the last being in Feb, the former 2 in Jan.

STOP 168 - MAHARASHTRA: MAHABLESHWAR, 1250 METERS, II-13-62 5000 specimens This quaint "resort town", Poona's primary hill station, is situated on a gently rolling plateau of lava. These flows were layed down one on top of the other until a tremendous thickness of lava had been built up. Erosion has reduced them to scattered plateaus and a considerable range of ghats near the west coast. The vegetation on the steep eastern slopes of the ghats consists of grass (dry in Feb.), an occassional thornbush or euphorbia, and rarely a small tree. The eastern edge of the plateau itself is a continuation of the same dry flora. About 4 miles to the west, however, due to the rain shaddow effect, the flora begins to