C6 Aihalyui of Books. [Jan. 



primitive rock exhibit fewer marked dift'erences than might be 

 expected, a priori. 



The recent formation is highly deserving of investigation, 

 both as a partial exception to the comprehensive idea, that the 

 whole island is composed of primitive rock, and on account of 

 its own interesting nature. The rock that occurs in this forma- 

 tion, is of two kinds, limestone and sandstone ; both of these may 

 become very useful. Very good lime may be made of the former, 

 and serviceable millstones may, perhaps, be made of the latter, 

 if it can be found, as is very probable, of a coarse quality. 



We beg to refer our readers to the original for a more extended 

 account of the geology of this island, aware that our limits will 

 not allow us to make more copious extracts ; and proceed to 

 consider its 



Mineraloifical Produvtiom. — ^The mineralogy of Ceylon is, in 

 certain respects, singular and curious. The island is remarkable 

 for its richness in gems, and its poverty in the useful metals. 

 It is remarkable too for the number of rare minerals that it 

 affords, and for the small variety of the ordinary species: thus, 

 in its mineralogical character, quite oriental, better fitted for 

 show than utility, for pomp than profit. 



Its mineral productions may be considered under two heads ; 

 namely, those that belong to granitic rock, and those that 

 belong to dolomite rock. 



The only metallic ores hitherto found in Ceylon are of iron 

 and manganese. Iron, in different forms, is pretty generally 

 diffused, and tolerably abundant. I have met with the following 

 species : Iron pyrites, magnetic iron ore, specular iron ore, red 

 hematite, bog iron ore, and earthy blue phosphate of iron. Red 

 hematite and bog iron ore are more common than the other spe- 

 cies. It is from these ores that the natives extract the metals. 

 Iron pyrites is rare : it is to be met with at Ratnapoora, in Saffra- 

 gam, disseminated through a grey felspar rock, and in veins of 

 quartz, at Mount Lavinia, on the sea shore. Magnetic iron ore I 

 have found in masses, imbedded in gneiss, in the neighbourhood 

 of Kandy, and iii a granitic rock at Katabowa, in Welassey, and 

 disseminated through a similar rock -at Trincomalee. The earthy 

 blue phosphate of iron has been procured from a marshy ground 

 in the neighbourhood of Colombo, and from a bed of bog-iron ore, 

 near Atgalle, not far from Kandy. It is said to be used by the 

 natives as a pigment. It is worthy of notice, that no great bed, 

 and that no vein of iron ore, has been found in Ceylon. Only 

 one ore of manganese, viz. grey manganese, or the black oxide, is 

 yet known in Ceylon. I first discovered it, about two years ago, 

 in several parts of Saffragam and of Upper Ouva. 



From the nature of the rock, it might be expected that other 

 metals would be found in Ceylon. . It may be remarked, it is not 

 for want of search they have not been discovered. ** Wherever," 

 says our traveller, "I have been amongst the mountains, I have 



