Geology of ' the Meyioar District. 119 



during the hot winds; and although the season was unfavour- 

 able for viewing it in perfection, the strata forming the range 

 were more distinctly seen, being completely destitute of all ve- 

 getation. The gneiss is composed of the usual ingredients. The 

 hills are ridge-shaped, and terminate in a sharp angle; and the 

 perfectly bare and nearly vertical strata seem to the fancy like 

 the huge ribs of some enormous skeleton. The gneiss passes 

 into quartz-rock. To the north of Oudeypore chlorite slates and 

 clay-slates are found, which occur'for a considerable distance, as- 

 sociated with quartz-rock, until we reach the Ajmere district, 

 where the predominating rocks are gneiss, mica-slate, and gra- 

 nite, with subordinate formations of marble and serpentine. In 

 this district several metals are found. 



In the valley of Oudeypore there is yet another formation to 

 be mentioned. It is generally seen in low situations. Sometimes, 

 however, it occurs on the top of low hills, which we have men- 

 tioned as occupying what is called the Valley. These hills 

 themselves are composed of quartz-rock or clay-slate. The for- 

 mation in question is carbonate of lime, which rests immediately 

 on the primitive rocks. The surface, which is exposed to the 

 action of the atmosphere, has a loose, friable and earthy appear- 

 ance. The fresh fracture, however, exhibits more of a crystal- 

 line structure, and has a brownish red, and in some instances a 

 dirty white colour. This rock, which the natives call Kunkur, 

 is burnt for lime, and is well adapted for this purpose. It is 

 not only found in the valley, but is extensively distributed 

 throughout the country. Rounded masses of the different pri- 

 mitive rocks, together with Lydian stone and flinty slate, are 

 contained in it ; and its whole substance is traversed by nume- 

 rous veins of quartz. I have seen a formation of a similar na- 

 ture to this on the top of a granite hill near the Fort of 

 Buneerah, about nine miles from Oudeypore, in a north-easter- 

 ly direction. It was of a blackish brown colour, exhibited an 

 earthy appearance externally, and was of a crystalline structure 

 internally. Mica, which, viewed in the mass, exhibited a brass 

 yellow colour, and between the eye and the Ught a greenish 

 yellow, or rather straw colour, was plentifully distributed 

 through it ; and numerous agates and agate-jaspers were found 

 imbedded in it. It becomes of a deeper black colour on expo- 



