56 FOOTE : GEOLOGY OF MADURA AND TINNEVELLY DISTRICTS. 



simplest to take them iu geographical sequence from south-west to 

 north-east, the order in which I worked them out myself. Three ex- 

 posures of similar beds which occur in the Travancore territory along the 

 coast between Cape Comorin and the Tinnevelly frontier will be found 

 described in my paper on the Geology of South Travancore (Recoi-ds, 

 G. S. I. Vol. XVI, 1883, page 30). The two first patches of recent 

 marine rock met with along the Tinnevelly coast are to be seen on 

 either side of the strip of land between the estu- 

 aries of the Kothan-Ar and Hanamanadi. The 

 calcareous gritty beds here seen are raised but a very few feet (2' — 5'). 

 above the present sea level, and are ill seen, while the paucity of 

 organic remains included in them makes them of very small interest. 

 It is possible that the strips of red and white blown sand which 

 skirts the coast for 4 miles westward, between the mouth of the 

 Kothan-Ar and the richly fossiliferous patch of limestone at Kannakapur 

 may conceal the eastward extension of the latter beds, if not other 

 marine beds as well. The small patch of calcareous grit lying east of 

 the Amman- Ar has its eastern side covered up by the end of a small 

 teri or blown red sand-hill, which extends eastward for about 3 miles 

 parallel with the coast line. 



To the north of this red sand-hill rises a small limestone plateau 

 Kudung Kulam west- ^bout 2 miles long from west to east, and about 

 ern plateau. three quarters of a mile wide at its greatest width. 



On the highest part of this plateau stands a small masonry building, 

 which was the southern observing station of the Trigonometrical Sur- 

 veyors when engaged upon the Cape Comorin base line. The elevation of 

 this station is given by them as 159 feet above sea level. A small and 

 narrow valley cuts off this plateau to the eastward Erom another lime- 

 K 1 o- Kulam east- stone plateau of about the same elevation at its 

 eru plateau. western end, but sinking very gradually to within 



a couple of hundred yards to its eastern end, when it slopes rapidly down 

 to the mouth of the Viziapatti (Vissiavethee) creek. This plateau 

 becomes so narrow at its eastern end above Idindan Karai (Iddinge 

 Kurra) that it might perhaps be preferentially called a ridge. It is 

 ( 5fi ) 



