LOFTUS — TURKO-PERSIAN FRONTIER. 265 



The greatest heights at which these deposits have been observed 

 are near Hindi Mayni, in the trough of the Kerkhah about lat. 33° 

 10' N., and at Kirrind. 



Section (fig. 5) in the Valley of the Kerkhah. — In this locahty, 

 at an altitude of about 6000 feet above the sea, a section across 

 the trough exhibits a somewhat uncommon elevation of the gypsum- 

 rocks. 



The limestone-range on the north-eastern side of the valley is 

 formed of two folds, Kiih i Vayzaniyah and Kiih i Bunar, which in 

 their elevation have detached a considerable patch of the deposits 

 from their solid mass in the valley below. This patch is much con- 

 torted, spreads over the summit of the Kuh i Biinar (the smaller 

 range), and hangs dipping over the slope towards the valley, exposing 

 to view only a small surface of the curved limestone of the mountain. 

 The corresponding beds in the valley take the same dip, pass under 

 the alluvial plain of the Kerkhah, and again appear resting on the 

 slope of the Kebir Kiih on the south-western side of the trough. 



Sections (figs. ^ &, 7) at Kirrind. — The plain of Kirrind is but a 

 widely extended trough, and therefore exhibits less contortion than 

 usual in the gypsum-deposits which occupy it. The town of Kirrind 

 is situated on the N.E. side of the plain, at the mouth of a highly 

 picturesque gorge in the limestone-range behind, which dips at an 

 angle of 60° towards the plain. Resting against this slope on either 

 side, but high above the town, is a set of deposits affording interesting 

 sections of the gypsum-marls, the highest point of which has an eleva- 

 tion of 5500 feet above the sea. 



On the S.E. section (fig. 7) the beds appear to have retained their 

 original position to a certain extent, as they only dip at an angle of 

 25° towards the N.E. They seem to have slipped very quietly down 

 the sloping surface of the limestone during its elevation, and so to 

 have taken up their present position. 



On the N.W. section (fig. 6) a much more violent action has 

 taken place ; the beds furthest removed from the rock have a general 

 dip at an angle of 75° from it and towards the S.W., while those 

 which are first visible from under the limestone-debris, by which the 

 edges of many of the beds are covered near the rock, curve at their 

 outcrop, as though they formed a dome over the adjoining layers to 

 the S.W. Whether this whole set of beds has been turned bodily 

 over, and the newest overlapped by the lowest members of the series, 

 — or whether the upper layers were pressed downwards by the lime- 

 stone, — there is no evidence to show, smce the same order of succes- 

 sion does not occur on both sections. 



For comparison, the various beds are enumerated as they occur : — 



North-west Section (fig. 6), commencing at their first appearance 

 from under the debris, some distance from the rock : — 



1 . Pinkish plastic clay. 



2. Thin bed of mottled marl ; with several species of fossils*. 



3. Blue marl. 



* Enumerated at p. 267. 



