14 CRETACEOUS ROCKS OF S. INDIA. [PaRT I. 



South of the Cretaceous basin from Volcondah to the Coleroon, with a 



. portion of the alluvial boundary that had been left unfinished the 



preceding year ; and finally the season of 1860 was devoted by Messrs. 



King and Foote to the continuation of their survey of the gneiss country, 



and by myself to the completion of the Cretaceous 

 Season of I860, "^ *^ '■ 



and associated rocks, and to a general review of 

 the surrounding country. 



It may possibly seem prematm^e to publish a Geological description 

 Pj, . , . of the country, in anticipation of, and consequently 



^°^- unsupported by, the important Palseontological 



evidence, which the examination of the fossil collections will undoubtedly 

 afford. These collections are, however, numerically so extensive, and 

 contain so large a proportion of entirely new species, that a careful 

 and detailed examination and comparison with known forms, such 

 as alone could be of real value for the purpose of science, will 

 probably require some years for its accomplishment ; and it was 

 therefore desirable to publish at once such Geological facts as have 

 been well estabhshed, leaving all PalaBontological details and the 

 general considerations founded thereon until a future period. This 

 course can be the more easily adopted, inasmuch as the main facts here 

 put forward are founded on stratigraphical evidence, on observations 

 made in the field ; and such references to Palgeontological facts as 

 occasionally occur, are strictly subordinate to a Geognostic treatment 

 of the subject. In the examination of a series of beds, so rich in fossil 

 remains as those of Trichinopoly and South Arcot, it would, of course, 

 be impossible entirely to neglect Palseontological evidence, and indeed 

 the absolute necessity of some acquaintance with the new fossil forms, 

 which presented themselves during the progress of the survey, has been 

 throughout experienced, and has much retarded the progress of the field 

 work. It would be equally absurd to attempt to distinguish the subjects 

 of study so far as to omit all reference to fossils in compiling a Geological 



