INTRODUCTORY. 7 



would be a moie correct term geologically speaking) by the Pargarh 

 Bhekurle and Hanmantgarh (Humuntgurh) spurs. The longest of 

 these Bhekurle spurs sinks rapidly after a three or four miles^ course. 

 The most remarkable for length and height combined is the Sundur 

 Wari Spur, which consists of gneissic rocks capped at intervals with 

 outliers of the Deccan trap. This spur starts from the Ghats about 

 six miles north of Amboli, and sweeps round with a gentle northward 

 curve south-westerly past the town of Sundur Wari and then dies down 

 into the general network of low hills. Close to its beginning it is 

 crowned by the two celebrated Hill-forts, Manohargarh and M-ansantosh- 

 garh, see plate VII. The more northerly high spurs, which are all trap- 

 crowned, all fall off suddenly very little distance from the edge of the 

 Ghats. 



To the south and south-east of Belgaum is a high ridge of trap 

 once evidently continuous with the Bailur ridge, 

 hills? ^^°^ ^^ ^^ ^^ -^^ ^^^ extreme west end it rises into a high and 

 very conspicuous hill crowned Jby the ruins of a 

 fine old Hill-fort, the Yellurgarh, one of the stations of the Trigonome- 

 trical Survey, 3,365 feet above sea level, and 797 feet above the sill of the 

 chief gate of the Belgaum fort. This Yellurgarh ridge runs fourteen 

 miles north-east-by-east, when it touches the southward extension of the 

 great north Malprabha Spur. The ridge runs on three or four miles 

 further in the same direction, and then dies down into the rather elevated 

 plain, which there forms the watershed between the Ghatprabha and 

 Malprabha Rivers. 



Between the two great spurs lie a number of smaller ridges and 

 isolated hills which, though of small topographical importance, are 

 important features when geologically regarded. The principal of 

 these are the Shimageri (Sheemagerree) hills south-west of Kaladgi, and 

 the Lokapur hills in the small State of Mudhol, south-west-by-west of 

 Kaladgi. 



( 7 ) 



