RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [1853]. Abstract of Thomson, Western Himalaya. CUL-DAR205.4.63. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 10. 2021. RN1
NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volume CUL-DAR205.4 contains notes on geographical distribution and species.
Darwin recorded reading this on 27 September 1853, in his 'Books Read / Books to be Read' notebook CUL-DAR128.- :
Thomson, Thomas. 1852. Western Himalaya and Tibet; a narrative of a journey through the mountains of northern India, during the years 1847-8. London.
[63]
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Western Himalaya &c by Th Thomson. 1852 p 15 During every hot weather, at height of only 300 ft species of Thalictrum Fragaria, Rosa, Rubus, Berberies &c &c occur. (Are these peculiar species or Europæan?) "This remarkable fact has been ascribed by Jacquemont (Voyage vol 2 p. 6) to the obscure influence of the mountains; & in the genre just enumerated never occur in the plains of Upper India it appears evident that the mountain's nature of the country must be [illeg] as an essential
[63v]
element – the reasons for this descent." If the species is I suppose are peculiar, rather good fact like Galapagos Flora being American. These genera (I do not know whether species) with some others were found by Hooker in Parasnath, a hill in Behar of 4000 ft; & they are all natives of moderate elevations in the Neilgherries, in Ceylon as well as on the Khazya mountains in Eastern Bengal. This rather injures the former striking case of new species coming from a temperate climes.
p. 15 / p 478
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 27 August, 2023