On the Geological Structure of the JSHlghirz Hills (Madras) by 

 Henry F. Blanford, Esq., Geological Survey of India. 



The Nilghiri or Neelgherry Hills, well known as the principal Sani- 

 „ ,. , .,. tarium of Southern India, form a small lofty 



Geograpnical position ' •' 



of the Neelgherries. ^^ble land at the Southern extremity of the wide 



spreading, but far less elevated plateau of Mysore, and constitute the 

 Southern termination of the Ghats. Like most of the isolated hill- 

 tracts of the Peninsula, e. g. the Shevaroys, Pulnies, and Anamulies, the 

 Neelgherries rise abruptly from the lower country around them, and 

 are bounded on all sides by short precipitous spurs, the remains of a 



former great escarpment, which, in the course 

 Physical aspect. 



or long ages, has been thus broken up by the 



unceasing action of the numerous streams pouring down from their 



surface. 



The greatest length of the Neelgherry plateau is in a N. E. and 



S. W. direction, or from Rungasawmy's Peak, 

 Their extent. 



overlooking the Guzzlehutty Pass, to Slspara, 



a distance of 48 miles, while their greatest breadth from the Falls 



of the Pykara at Cot Mullay to the termination of the Mailur 



ridge does not exceed 20 miles. The Northern and North-Western 



portions of the great boundary escarpment of the Neelgherries are 



The Northern escarp- °^ ^^^^ ^^*»*i^<^ 'isight than those bounding the 



ment and the Ghats. otj^ei. gidgg ^f ^jj^ plateau, the Mysore country 



at their foot being itself an elevated tract bounded by the Eastern 

 and Western Ghats, the former of which trend off in a North-Easterly 

 direction from the North-Eastern corner of the Neelgherries, while the 

 latter commencing opposite to Makurty Peak pass off in a Westerly 

 aad North- Westerly direction, forming the Northern portion of the 

 magnificent amphitheatre of hills seen from Sispara and Makurty 

 Peak (Plate XI). 



