of the Southern MaJiratta Country. 113 



with red haematite, in the shape of stalactites, or having a Mis- 

 tered or mamillary form. The cavities are generally very small ; 

 but I have seen very large specimens of red haematite, which were 

 found in the Kupputgood Range. Brown haematite is also 

 sometimes met with ; but it is not so common as the other. 



I may here mention, that I found a large bed of a variety of 

 compact magnetic iron-ore, on the summit of a small hill, near 

 Hitnal, * a village in the Hydrabad country. It is associated 

 with micarslate, and quartz rock ; and the base of the hill con- 

 sists of granite. 



Old Red Sandstone. 



This is one of the most extensive formations in India. It 

 forms the summits of most of the eastern Gauts. It extends 

 over a great part of the district of Cudapah ; occupies exten- 

 sive tracts in the Decan ; forms the summits of most of the hills 

 in the Vindhyaand Gondwana ranges on both sides of theNer- 

 buddah ; and extends over part of Bundelcund, and even as far 

 as Delhi. 



The old red sandstone occupies a large tract of the districts, 

 the geology of which forms, the subject of this paper. From 

 ■ Gudjunderghur, where it rests immediately upon the granite, 

 it extends north, and north-east, as far as the Kistnah, occupy- 

 ing all the north-east comer of the Darwar district, and extend- 

 ing some way into, the Hydrabad country. From thence it 

 stretches across the country to beyond Gokauk, occupying all 

 that tract which has been already pointed out in a former part 

 of this paper. It also forms the summits of three insulated hills 

 in the centre of the, district, viz. the hills of Noulgoond, Nur- 

 goond, and Chick Nurgoond. On all of these three hills, it 

 forms large tabular masses, the sides of which form mural 

 .escarpments all round ; and, from the bottom of these escarp- 

 ments,, the hills have a gradual slope to the plain below. At 

 Noulgoond the sandstone rests on granite ; on the two latter 

 hills it rests on the talc slates of the transition class. 



From Gudjunderghur to Badamy, and in all the hills south 

 of the Mulperba, the strata of sandstone are almost universally. 



* Hitnal is about ten miles to the east of CopaL 

 OCTOBER— DECEMBER 1828. H 



