F 



1822.] Geological Society, 235 



This series of beds, being similar to those on the opposite side 

 of the Island at Headen Hill, Isle of Wight, is considered by 

 Mr. Webster as affording a strong confirmation of the opinion 

 he had formerly advanced respecting the extent of the Isle of 

 Wight basin. 



Mr. Webster also enmnerates several fossil freshwater shells 

 which he found at Hordwell Cliff, and among other remains is a 

 fossil capsule or seed vessel. 



Jan, 18, 1822. — The reading of *' A Description of Specimens 

 collected on a Journey from Delhi to Bombay," by B. Fraser, 

 Esq. was concluded. 



The distance from Delhi to Bombay is about 720 English 

 miles, but the author's deviations from the immediate route make 

 his course amount to not less than 1000 miles. He apologizes 

 for the incompleteness of his collection, and the accompanying 

 memoir, by stating the difficulties which attended the con- 

 veyance of specimens, unfavourable, and other circumstances. 



It is, the author states, generally known, that the central part 

 of India, north of the Nurbuddah, and between that river and 

 the valley of the Jumna and Ganges, rises gradually from north 

 .to south, abruptly from the west, and irregularly from the east- 

 ward, so as to form a sort of plateau, the southern portion of 

 which, in the province of Matira, is elevated about 1600 or 1700 

 feet above the Nurbuddah, and about 2000 feet above the sea.. 

 The present memoir relates principally to the western and north 

 western portion of this elevated tract. 



The city of Delhi is placed upon a rocky ridge, about 120 

 feet in height, close to the river Jumna, and on the north- 

 eastern verge of the plateau just described. The most northern 

 point of the hilly region is at Tooham, south of Hansee, about 

 90 miles north of west from Delhi. This hill, which is about 

 700 feet in height, is composed of granite. The hilly country 

 is terminated on the noith-west by a long range of hills, which 

 skirts immediately the great western plain, of which the sandy 

 jdesert forms the principal portion. 



The northern part of the tract described by the author is com- 

 posed entirely of primary rocks, which are succeeded on the 

 south by a very extensive trap formation stretching down the 

 west of the Peninsula as far south as the neighbourhood of 

 Goah, a distance of more than 500 miles. The extent of the 

 trap formation to the eastward is not yet known ; but the 

 author supposes the primary rocks to be continued southwards, 

 through the whole of the peninsula to Cape Cormorin. 



At Delhi, the rock is quartz, and the same substance occu- 

 pies a very large portion of the surface, to the south and west, 

 constituting apparently the upper part of the mountainous tract, 

 and frequently assuming the form of sharp insulated peaks> 

 called by the natives ** dants/' or teeth, which are described as 

 being in one place " of pure white, and glittering like snow,'' 



