Chap. II.] the Himalayan series. 21 



Chapter II. — The Himalayan Series. 



Before describing the Sub-Himalayan series, it will be desirable to 

 give some account of the rocks upon which it rests, or with which it 

 comes in contact. Although my examination of these older formations 

 has not been detailed or consecutive, I can point out some structural 

 features of great interest, which will, I hope, serve as useful indications 

 to future observers. 



The almost total absence of fossils in all the rocks of the Lower 



Himalaya augments indefinitely the difficulty 

 Lithology. * 



of discovering their relations. In attempting to 

 arrive at a preliminary idea of what, or how many formations may be 

 present, one is left entirely to the unsatisfactory resources of litho- 

 logical characters. From this point of view I can at present point out 

 but two great divisions of the stratified rocks, — the metamorphic, and 

 the unmetamorphic. Among the latter the dominant type of rock 

 is a gritty slate, sharply thin-bedded, often finely laminated. With 

 these there occur several continuous bands of limestone, some very 

 massive. Sandstones are subordinate, and capriciously distributed. 

 Among the metamorphic rocks siliceous and micaceous schists pre- 

 vail ; hornblendic varieties are subordinate. Through these schists there 

 occur frequently bands of gneiss, which often assumes a granitoid aspect. 

 The only rock of undoubtedly intrusive origin to be found in this whole 

 region of the Himalaya is a trap, which is frequently very extensively 

 associated with the slates and schists ; it shows very little variation 

 of type, being, as a rule, basic, only occasionally appearing as a clear 

 diorite ; its texture is generally obscurely crystalline, compact, schistose, 

 or even vesicular. 



