380 COOCH BEH<4R STATE
for about r s miles, when it passes into Rangpur. The Jaldhàka, which
is called in Bhutan the Di-chu, enters the State at the north-west corner
and flows more or less parallel to the Tïsta. It receives as tributaries
the Gilandi, Duduya, Mujnai, and-later during its course when it
is called the Mansai--the Satanga, Dolang, and Dharla; after its
junction with the river last named it assumes the name of Singimari.
It is finally joined by the old channel of the Torsa, locally called the
Dharla, under which name the united stream leaves the State, after a
course of about 6o miles within it with an average breadth of 400 to 500
yards throughout. It is shallow in the dry season, but is liable to heavy
floods during the rains. The Torsa bifurcates in its course, one branch
flowing south under the name of Dharla and falling into the Singimari
(Jaldhaka), while the other turns eastward and falls into the Kaljani.
The Kaljani in its turn meets the Raidak, which subsequently joins the
Gadadhar ; and the united river falls into the Brahmaputra by two
mouths, the southern one being known as the Dudhkumar and the
northern as the Sankosh.
The soil is everywhere alluvial. Where the ground is not occupied
by the usual crops of North Bengal, it is covered with an abundant
natural vegetation. Old river-beds, ponds, marshes, and streams with
a sluggish current have a copious vegetation of hallisneria and other
plants. Land subject to inundation has usually a covering of Tamarix
and reedy grasses; and in some parts, where the ground is more or less
marshy, Rosa involucrata is plentiful. Few trees occur on these inun-
dated lands ; the most plentiful and largest is Barringlonaa acutangula.
On the higher ground also the trees are few and usually rather stunted,
and the greater portion of the surface is covered with grasses, the
commonest of these being Imperata arundinacea and Andropogon acicu-
latus. Among the trees the most conspicuous is the red cotton-tree
(Bombax malabaricuna) ; the sissû (Dalbergia Sissoo) and the mango
occur as planted or sometimes self-sown species, bamboos grow in
profusion, and palms, especially the areca, are common. Near villages
there are usually thickets or shrubberies and more or less useful trees
of a rapid growth and weedy character. A few tracts are maintained
as shooting reserves, but these consist mainly of grass jungle, and there
is no real forest.
The big.game with which the State formerly abounded has receded
northwards before the advance of cultivation, and within its limits the
only wild animals now found are leopards, bears, deer, and hog. Of
small game, florican and francolin are plentiful in some of the grassy
plains.
The temperature is rarely excessive, the thermometer never rising
above 93° in the shade and seldom so high, but the abnormal humidity
makes the climate very trying and unpleasant. The lowest recorded
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