184 Scientific InteWgence, 



round and angular, of all these rocks, all passing into each other by such 

 insensible gradations, as well as by abrupt transitions, that they defy ar- 

 rangement, and render description useless. It is bounded on all sides, how- 

 ever, by granite, which passes under it and forms its basis ; some elevated 

 points, such as Naggery Nose, having only their upper third composed of 

 sandstone and quartz, while the basis is of granite. 



The rocks above enumerated, with the addition of the iron-clay and ba- 

 saltic rocks, occupy extensive portions of the valleys of the Kistna and Go- 

 davery, covered in some places by the black trap soil. The granite rocks, 

 on which they rest, are often penetrated and apparently heaved up by in- 

 jected veins or masses of trap and dikes of green-stone. Mr Calder hopes 

 soon to be enabled to lay before the Society a detailed description of the 

 curious formations, accompanied by sections of the strata, between Madras 

 and Hydrabad. The waters of the Kistna and Godavery expand as they 

 approach the sea, dividing into numerous branches, and depositing their 

 alluvial contents during inundations over a considerable extent of land 

 bordering the coast. The largest portion of deposits consists of decayed 

 vegetable matter, yielded by the extensive forests through which they 

 flow ; and here may be noticed the characteristic difference that marks the 

 alluvial deposits of the principal river of the south — the Cauvery. This 

 river, flowing in a long course through the Mysore country, over an ex- 

 tensive and generally barren surface of granitic and sienitic rocks, with 

 scarcely any woods or jungle on its banks, brings down little or none of 

 decayed vegetable alluvium ,' but a rich yellow clay, produced by the fel- 

 spar, which predominates in the granites of Mysore and the south, and 

 which, mixed with carbonate of lime, renders the plains of Tanjore by far 

 the most fertile portion of the south of India. Passing on to Vizagapatam 

 and Ganjara, the granite rocks appear occasionally covered by laterite. 

 The granite of Vizagapatam assumes a new and singular appearan ce, being 

 small-grained and intimately intermixed with amorphous or uncrystalliz- 

 ed garnets, in round grains or specks. This peculiar rock passes into the 

 province of Cuttack. The only information we possess regarding that in- 

 teresting district is derived from Mr Stirling's valuable paper in the last 

 volume of the Asiatic Society's Researches. The rocks of the granite class 

 form the basis and predominant elevations of this district ; they are re- 

 markable for their resemblance to sandstone, and abounding in imperfect- 

 ly formed garnets, disseminated throughout with veins of steatite. Here 

 too traces of coal have recently been discovered, which is likely to be pro- 

 ductive, and gold is frequently found in the sands of the Mahanuddee, pro- 

 bably from the valley of Sumbulpore. We next trace the laterite, increas- 

 ing in extent all the way to Midnapore, and thence continuing northwards 

 by Bissuniwre and fiancorah to Beerboom. 



16. Organic Remains at Clash-bennie Quarry in Forfarshire, — Specimens 

 of these interesting products of former ages have lately been found in 

 Clash-bennie quarry, which is situated on the south-west boundary of the 

 parish of Enrol, and on the left bank of the Tay. These specimens have 

 at first sight very much the appearance of shells, but on closer inspec- 



