Fossiliferous beds near Pondicherry. 237 



breaks "through (?) and bounds the sandstones at Trivacary. 

 It is much indeed to be regretted, that no person accus- 

 tomed to geological research, has been able to visit the 

 spot, and put this question to rest. 



With reference to the ee conical hollows," mentioned by 

 Dr. Malcolmson, I suppose that he alludes to the singular 

 appearance worn by the low hills at Trivacary,* which take 

 a circular, cateriform shape, and perhaps justify that expres- 

 sion : they, however, entirely consist of friable red sandstone. 

 Although I have now several times explored the whole 

 neighbourhood, with a view to geological inquiry, I have 

 never seen any traces of obsidians, nor do I know of any 

 indications of volcanic action. 



The fossils discovered at Seedrapett may be said, on a 

 rough calculation, to consist of between 20 and 30 different 

 species of bivalve, and almost the same number of univalve 

 shells, besides the Ammonite, Nautilus, Hamite, Beculite, 

 Belemnite (?) Echini, and Zoophytes of two or three distinct 

 species. 



C. T. K. 



April 2nd, 1841. 



* The appearance of these hills is very singular, and induced us when 

 first we visited them to exclaim, that they must be of volcanic origin. 

 Succeeding visitors took up the same idea ; but when a series of the 

 rock in the neighbourhood was forwarded to Madras, it was found that 

 there was no volcanic rock among them. At Trivacary, but on no 

 other part of the sandstone, the surface is seamed with a number of 

 tubes, sometimes proceeding like chimnies, and sometimes taking a 

 horizontal direction, as if the tubes had formed passages for escaping 

 gases. No satisfactory explanation has in my opinion been offered to 

 account for these appearances. 



