758 JOURNAL, BOMB A Y NA TURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol XVIII. 



relieved by bright coloured rocks and patches of tillage, but over 

 most of the area brown waving uplands deep in loose sand, broken 

 by naked peaks, and bordered by bare ridges of low dust-coloured 

 hills." 1 Yet parts of the country are far from being unpicturesque. 

 Though none of the elevations of Cutch are very great, being 

 generally under 1,500 feet above the sea, its hills form one of 

 the chief natural features of the Province. Three distinct ranges 

 of hills are traceable in Cutch proper having an easterly and 

 westerly direction. The most northern range overlooks the Rann 

 from near Lukput to a point about 28 miles eastward of Bhuj. 

 It forms an irregular chain, and, for the greater part, presents 

 to the north a perpendicular cliff, and to the south an inclined 

 plain. The next called the Charwar range, passes transversely 

 through the centre of the Province, and is connected with the 

 former, at its north- western extremity, by a cluster of hills. It is 

 made up, partly of sandstone, and partly of a series of strata of slate 

 clay, limestone, slate, and slaty limestone. The third, or southern 

 range called the Dora hi Is, has the same general direction as the 

 other two, but is of • smaller extent and consists entirely of volcanic 

 materials. A number of isolated volcanic hills are also scattered over 

 the plain, as well as in other parts of the Province, particularly on the 

 borders of the Kami, where is situated the hill Dhinodhar, the highest 

 in Cutch (1.073 feet). The Vagad hills in the eastern part of the dis- 

 trict are a broad group stretching east and west. They have many 

 separate peaks, the principal of which is the Vittroe. A disconnected 

 chain traverses the Rann islands of Pacham, Kurreer, Bela. and Chorar 

 from west to east. The most lofty summit occurs at Pacham Peer, 

 rising 1.437 feet above the Rann. The varied and vivid colouring of 

 the rocks add a peculiar charm to the aspect of the country. The three 

 primary colours with many varieties of their compounds are represent- 

 ed by the rocks as well as their atmospheric debris. "Owing to the 

 oxides of iron, red and yellow prevail; but in some places these are 

 mixed with pale lavender, blue and purple tints, and contrasted with 

 intense black or the purest white ; and when any vegetation adds some 

 green, the brilliancy of the effect becomes very striking. As a rule, 

 the country has warm sienna tints, with red, purple or black rocks 

 nearly always close at hand ; while the grey, purple or ora nge h ills 



i Bomuay Gazetteer, Vol. v., p. 2. 



