Black partridges occur in the cornfields here, but in no great numbers.  Much of the cultivation of barley, wheat, and rye, is very luxuriant, but the proportion of waste, to cultivated land is too considerable to argue either a large population or active agricultural habits.  Pastor roseus occurs in flocks; it is evidently nearly allied to the mina.  The capabilities of this valley are considerable, more particularly when the extreme readiness with which water is obtained in wells is considered, as well as the nature of the soil, which is well adapted to husbandry.  Candahar, viewed from about a mile to the west of our camp, backed by the picturesque hills (one bluff one in particular), the numbers and verdure of the trees, the break in the mountains on the Herat road, presents a pretty scene.

8th.—­The installation of the Shah, which took place to-day on the plain to the north of the city, was a spectacle worth seeing on account of the grand display of troops; but there were very few of the inhabitants of Candahar or surrounding villages present.  Mulberries and apricots are now ripening.  Rats, a Viverra with a long body and short legs, tawny with brown patches, face broad, blackish-brown, white band across the forehead, and white margins to the ears which are large; storks were seen when alarmed.  Pastor roseus occurs in flocks; magpies, swallows, swifts, and starlings.  There is a garden with some religious buildings, to which an avenue of young trees leads in a north-east direction from one of the Cabul gates, for there are two on this face.  The buildings are not remarkable; nor are the trees, which are small; a few planes (Platanus) occur, the most common is the Benowsh, a species of ash, (Fraxinus) of no great size or beauty.  The elegant palmate leaved Pomacea likewise occurs, with the mulberry:  the marigold is a great favourite.

The fields are now ripening, this being the harvest-moon.  Wild oats occur commonly, although they are not made any use of; the seed is large, and ripens sooner than any of the others; from the size of the uncultivated specimens, I am sure that oats would form an excellent crop.

In the fields Cichorium is very common, and Carduacea, Centaurea cyanea, Dipsaceae, and in certain low places an Arundo, are the most common weeds; two or three Silenaceae, and Umbelliferae also occur.  In the ditches Typha, Butomus, watercresses, Alomioides, Ceratophyllum, Lemna gibba?  Confervae, Gramineae two or three, Ranunculus, Potamogeton, one species immersa; Mentha, Sium.

On the Chummuns, which are of no extent, but which are pleasing from their verdure and soft sward chiefly consisting of Carex, Trifolium, Juncus rigidus, Santalacea, and Gentiana likewise prevail.

The fields of Lucerne are luxuriant, but require much water, the price of which is very dear; one ass-load costs eight annas!!

Iris crocifolia is common in old cultivations.