NERBUDDA DISTRICT. 



203 



for the most part silicious. Distinct in composition from these and almost 

 as widely spread, we find beds more or less calcareous, often earthy or sandy, 

 and frequently very like the marls of the Lameta group, with which they 

 may readily be confounded. These, like the former, present all degrees of 

 induration, and are found to occur in all respects as those silicious beds do. 

 The calcareous bands of the intertrappean rocks occur largely near 

 Sagur, and have been noticed in the Sohagpur district in several places. 

 From the Sagur parade-ground, along the foot of the hills to the north of 

 the Indore road, a nearly continuous out-crop may be traced for miles. 

 Again to the south of Sagur, near Narrainpur* a similar bed is found, 

 resting on the Vinclhyan sandstones, and covered by trap. Here the rock 

 (itself sometimes a mass of minute Paludinas) is hardened into a mar- 

 ble in one place, while a few feet off it is so friable as to crumble between 

 the fingers. Besides the small shells, large specimens of Unio Deccanen- 

 sis, of Physa Prinsepii and colossal vertebrate bones, are embedded in this 

 calcareous bed. These bones were too much broken for identification. 

 They have been supposed to have belonged to large Pachyderms, or possi- 

 bly to cetacea. What has been said of the prevalent lithological characters 

 of the intertrappean rocks is far from exhausting the subject: many other 

 varieties might be mentioned : but it will perhaps be sufficient to furnish 

 one example of what may be considered as a specimen of the exceptional 

 developements of the intertrappean rocks. It is exposed in one of the 

 glens of the Gorchutta valley, a few miles from the village of Singwarra. 

 Exceptional section. In descending order — 



30 to 40 feet of sub-columnar Trap shewing well a concentric 

 structure. The joints of the columns are very short and 

 wide and each column presents the appearance of a pile 

 of very much flattened spheres. This rests on 

 3 ft. to 6 inches of dove colored grey earthy limestone, containing 

 many shells. This bed which varies (as stated) consider- 



* Captain Nicolls' fossil locality. 



