Sometimes the wet monsoon i. greatly delayed or has little strength. and this failure of adequate supply of rain involves the direst tragedy. (Seesection on Minims.) India and the adjacent seas are often visited by the de hurricanes called typhoons. whose I raeks are frequently traced by ruined towns and crops.
The soil. except on the steep mountain slopes, is of great fertility, being largely composed of alluvium throughout the plains and in the moun tain valleys. and of disintegrated volcanic rocks, from which many rich soils are derived. on the southern plateau. The food demands of the enor mous population make it necessary to maintain a high degree of fertility.
Fton.t. very unequally distributed rain fall causes great differences in velzetation. The almost rainless region just east of the Indus has desert conditions of plant life. while the low-ly ing coast lands along the (:elf of Bengal have large areas of dense, wet jungle. The plains of the Deccan east of the Western f:liats have little rain. for it falls on these mountain. instead of on the plains. Vegetation is therefore sparse where irrigation is not while the lower slopes of the northern mountains. drenelled with rain. are densely wooded: and far above the there is an Anil(' flora close to the glaciers and The greatest possible area of plowed fields is needed for food production. and so a large amount of forest area has been for cultivation. Timber supplies are chiefly derived front mountain slope.. from the hilly lands of parts of the Deccan. and from Burma. Teak. the most valuable wood. is cut on the slopes of the NVestern and 1•;asteni Chat-. in Lower Burma. and to some extent among the western hills of the Deccan. Stmlalwood and blackwood are found in the teak-growing regions: sal. another hard wood, and cedars. on the slopes of the Hima layas: and the common woods are scattered. not over various parts of the eountry. The larger part of the plain has no forests. and in the irrigated districts there arc few trees except in the watered gardens. The (10N-eminent has all the best timber areas hinder protection. and applies forestry methods to their management. The bamboo, the mango. and the cocoanut and other palms are widely distributed. and are of the greatest utility. One of the most distinctive the Indian trees is the banyan. The forests of .1s.ain, Malabar, and the slopes of portion, of the Himalayas are luxuriant ill the extreme, and present a wealth and variety of vegetable forms which are equaled or surpassed only by the forests of tropical America. In the Hima layas i. the home 01 the giant rhododendron. Orchid:teem]. plants are markedly numerous, and the upper floral zones h the mountain range have furnished the 1110st, Valli:011e types to the Ilori• eulturist.
The country forms a part of the 1Zegion (q•v.) of zoiigeography. Al though the plains of the northwest partake of the characteristics of Central Asia, India possesses the lion (iu the northwest, hut nearly ex tinct ). the wild ass, and sundry smaller mam mals, birds. and reptile. that belong rather to the country westward. The massive ranges of the Himalaya also contain a peculiar montanic fauna. especially by an abundance of will sheep. goats. and of goat-antelopes 0141.v.), such as the l'haral Puli• sheep, the ibex. marklior, goral. and others elsewhere described. These. too, are more closely related to Palearetie than to Oriental forms: but two or more species of goats exist on the Nilgiri llills and other heights of the. Peninsula. The forests. swamps, and grassy plains of Peninsular India support life in ex traordinary profusion, and civilization seems to have little effect upon it because of the jungle fastnesses to which animals may everywhere re treat and be safe. The elephant (which is met with in many parts in large herds). however, requires protection, and the wild cattle are be coming sear•e. Several kinds of deer, including the sambur. axis, and swamp-deer. and several kinds of are numerous, as well as very many of the minor mammals.
India is the home of the gallinaeeous tribe of birds, and is rich in many kinds of pheasants, partridge-. and jungre-favl (to which is traced the origin of domestie poultry). besides a rich avifauna of the woods and fields. \Vith this plenitude of prey. to which may be added a great variety of fresh-water and marine life. including many valuable food-fishes, there would naturally be found carnivoroug beasts. birds, and poisonous predatory reptiles. The tiger (which is probably indigenous to India)• leopard. eheeta, and several lesser cats wander throughout the whole country. and are dangerous to man as well as beast. Other animals are the rhinoceros, gayal for bison of the (:hats), bear, jackal, and various forms of ape. The true lintialo, as well as the camel. 1. domesticated. and is largely used in the service of the field and farm. India is famous also for venomous snakes (see Conn.'. i•te.). croco diles. and sea—nakes. The death. of human beings by wild beasts and snakes number thou sard• each year• and the loss of cattle reaches hundreds of thousands of dollars in value. On the other hand. India is one of the most attrac tive of the world for sportsmen. who annually distribute much wealth within its con fines.