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MISHMI.

　The Mishmis inhabit the mountains lying north of the Assam Valley from the Dibang River in the west to about the Lama valley or Dzayul, a sub-prefecture of Lhassa, in the east. They have been found in settlements as far south as the Nemlang River, an offshoot of the Irawaddy, and their colonies sweep round to the east of the great mountain called the Dapha Bhum, and then up the Brahmaputra proper to the confines of Tibet.

　The Mishmi villages to the south of the Brahmaputra are scattered and mixed up with Khmt and Singph settlements. To the north and west we find the tribe in possession of the whole country.

　 'The Mishmis,' says Lieutenant G. L. S. Ward, 'are small, active, wiry men, with very high cheek bones, flat noses and a general Mongolian cast of feature.'

　Their country is rugged and difficult of access. There has, therefore, been little intercourse between them and the British. Only 220 Mishmis have been returned for this Survey as living within British territory. They are found in the north-east of Lakhimpur, on the south side of the Brahmaputra. At the last Census of 1901 only 71 speakers were returned.

　 There are four main divisions of the Mishmis, each sub-divided into numerous minor clans. The four divisions are Chulikt, Bebejiya, Digru, and Mj.

　The Chulikt Mishmis are settled on both banks of the Dibang River and, to the east of it, so far at the Digru River. Some of the larger and richer villages are situ- ated at the Dibang north of Kaladoi towards Tibet. They are the most numerous tribe of the Mishmis.

　The name Chulikt is used by the Assamese in order to denote the tribe. It means 'crop-haired' and is used because the Chulikts crop their front hair on the forehead. They call themselves Midu, or, according to Mr. Robinson, Nedu.

　Our knowledge of the dialect of this tribe is based on a list of standard words and phrases in Sir George Campbell's Specimens, which has been reprinted below.

　The Bebejiyas or outcast Mishmis occupy the valleys of the Ithun River and its tributaries, between the Chulikts and the Digrus. The Ithun is a tributary of the Dibang River which it joins at Kaladoi village (about 28ﾟ 25' north latitude). The Bebejiyas extend towards the high ranges of the Southern Tibet border on the north, and on the south they are bordered by the Chulikts. Bebejiya is an Assamese name; they call themselves Mithun.

　The Bebejiya dialect is said to be almost identical with Chulikt. The two tribes also agree in appearance and dress, and they cut their hair in the same manner. They do not, however, intermarry.

　The Digrus are settled in the mountains between the Digru River and the Brahmaputra. They are also called Tr, Taiu or Taying, and Meme Mishmis.

　Their language has been dealt with by Mr. Robinson. A list of words has been printed by Sir George Campbell, and another one by Mr. J. F. Needham. I have printed a list based on Messrs. Robinson and Needham.

　The Mejus or Mjs are settled to the east of the Digrus and extend towards the Lama valley or Dzayul, a sub-prefecture of Lhassa. Their language is known from