1836.] the Country between Hyderabad and Ndgpur. Ill 



The bed of the small river of Eidlabad (see map) is covered by 

 numerous fragments of the argillaceous blue limestone, so well known 

 as underlying the diamond breccia in the Cuddapah district south of 

 the Kistnah. Three miles higher up, the stream runs over the slightly 

 inclined strata of a fine white sandstone, having some quartz fragments 

 imbedded, rising towards some lofty ranges of trap formation to the 

 east, (the Manik-gurh hills*,) and are some places converted into a 

 quartz-like mass, as is seen in some of the Cuddapah sandstones. It 

 probably rests on the blue limestone, which is seen to pass into a soft 

 bluish or reddish clayslate in the bank of a stream a few miles north. 



About 10 miles N. of Eidlabad, the limestone is found on the surface, 

 forming smooth slabs, having much calcareous spar and rock crystal 

 between the strata, and in their veins through the rock, and in the 

 course of the natural figures, numerous small round perforations are 

 arranged in lines, and occasionally filled with soft calcareous matter. 

 On a rising ground south of Zeynad, the marble had occasionally a dip 

 of 40 degrees ; but for the most part it was nearly horizontal, and the 

 direction of the dip was quite irregular. In the nala of Zeynad, which 

 runs over limestone, there is much tuff, having small pieces of the 

 limestone imbedded, and evidently formed from the water of the stream 

 (specimens No. 85) ; a similar formation is, however, found in a few 

 places on the high level ground to the S. W. To the east of the village 

 a gently rising ground extends nearly N. E. and S. W. for about three 

 miles, and terminates in a small hill, which rises rather abruptly. The 

 slope is formed of nearly horizontal slabs of marble, the edges of the 

 strata being exposed by the gradual rise of the surface. In following 

 the ridge to within half a mile of the little hill to which it rises, a 

 singular appearance presented itself : a dyke of perfectly vertical strati- 

 fication, about three feet in thickness, projects two feet from the general 

 surface ; its exterior is singularly irregular and altered, the constituents 

 of the rock being formed into crystalline or flint-like minerals of lime, 

 argil, or silex, while the internal structure retains the characters of the 

 blue limestone. On following this natural wall for about half a mile, 

 it is concealed by globular basalt, which has burst through the strata, 

 and in forming the termination of the little ridge, has covered the 

 surrounding limestone, of which a portion has been so singularly dis- 

 placed. The basalt is vesicular, and resembles much of that found in 

 the Nirmul hills. No fossils were found here ; but in the ascent from 

 the second terrace of the Muklegandy ghat, where the great bed of 

 marine shells was incumbent on granite, the same limestone was seen 



* The Manik-gurh hills run from N. by E. to S. by W. almost at right 

 angles to the Nirmul range. 

 Q 2 



