CHAPTEH VII. 



THE DECCAN TRAP AND ASSOCIATED FORMATIONS. 



Section I. — The Deccan Trap. 

 The general characteristics of the trap area in the south-western 

 Character of scenery Deccaii are \ow rolling- downs with intervening 

 ni e eccan. shallow valleys^ producing very monotonous and 



uninteresting scenery. This monotony of scenery is greatly enhanced 

 by the large development of regur over the trap area^ and the almost 

 entire destruction of trees on the higher grounds. In many of the 

 valleys there are numerous trees of fine growth, showing that the trap is 

 not at all an unsuitable sub-soil for rich vegetation. Here and there, 

 also, fine trees, protected by some superstitious association, remain on the 

 highest grounds, showing that the present deplorable barrenness of the 

 country is owing to the wanton improvidence of the people. The 

 monotony of the scenery is in keeping with the great uniformity of the 

 rocks, both in composition and stratigraphical arrangement. 



As the trap area is traversed in a westerly direction, the scenery 

 gradually changes in character with the rise of the ground and the 

 appearance of younger and overlying trap-flows. The scenery is no 

 longer so monotonous, for low flat-topped hills frequently crown the 

 watersheds between larger streams, as to the north of Bijapur and to 

 the north-west of Mudhol. Still further west the scenery becomes 

 still better, as high and bold hills, the remains of yet later flows, are 

 met with, such as the Bagedgudda, north of Gokak, the hills around and 

 west of Chikori, and the Kardigudi trigonometrical station hill, twelve 

 miles east of Belgaum. These hills^ especially the two groups first named, 

 have been robbed of much of their beauty by human agency in utterly 

 denuding them of all forest. Very nearly the same may be said of 

 the Yellurgarh hill south of Belgaum, and of the fine group of hills 



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