302 KHASIA MOUNTAINS. Chap. XXX. 



Wild animals are very abundant here, though extremely 

 rare on the higher part of the Khasia range \ tigers, 

 however, and bears, ascend to Nunklow. We saw troops 

 of wild dogs (" Kuleam," Khas.), deer, and immense quan- 

 tities of the droppings of the wild elephant ; an animal 

 considered in Assam dangerous to meet, whereas in other 

 parts of India it is not dreaded till provoked. There is, 

 however, no quadruped that varies more in its native state 

 than this : the Ceylon kind differs from the Indian in the 

 larger size and short tusks, and an experienced judge at 

 Calcutta will tell at once whether the newly caught elephant 

 is from Assam, Silhet, Cuttack, Nepal, or Chittagong. 

 Some of the differences, in size, roundness of shoulders and 

 back, quantity of hair, length of limb, and shape of head, 

 are very marked ; and their dispositions are equally 

 various. 



The lowest rocks seen are at a considerable distance 

 down the Bor-panee ; they are friable sandstones that 

 strike uniformly with the gneiss. From the bridge 

 upwards the rocks are all gneiss, alternating with chert 

 and quartz. The Nunklow spur is covered with enormous 

 rounded blocks of syenite, reposing on clay or on one 

 another. These do not descend the hill, and are the 

 remains of an extensive formation which we could only find 

 in situ at one spot on the road to Myrung (see p. 300), 

 but which must have been of immense thickness.* One 

 block within ten yards of the bungalow door was fifteen 

 feet long, six high, and eight broad; it appeared half buried, 

 and was rapidly decomposing from the action of the rain. 

 Close by, to the westward, in walking amongst the masses we 



* The tendency of many volcanic rocks to decompose in spheres is very well 

 known : it is conspicuous in the black basalts north of Edinburgh, but I do not 

 know any instance equal to this of Nunklow, for the extent of decomposition and 

 dimensions of the resulting spheres. 



