lxxvi Report of the Mineralogical Survey [No. 126*. 



carburetted clay slate, blue ditto, talcose quartz rock, and talcose lime- 

 stone are the most marked types, and they succeed each other in the 

 most sudden and unexpected manner. In general, however, the for- 

 mation may be said to have a talcose character, that mineral forming 

 more or less of the composition of each rock, but I think that it is sur- 

 mounted, or at least surrounded, by the same gneiss which accompanied 

 us from Munsaree, and which appears in all the larger masses and the 

 more elevated ridges. In the bed of the nullah below the village, rounded 

 blocks of this rock are seen of an enormous size, which confirm the 

 above idea. Beyond this point, it is not found till we approach Almorah, 

 and the masses in that neighbourhood being connected with the 

 granite beds there, will be better described when we come to the details 

 of the latter. 



160. The preceding comprises all my observations of the localities 

 of gneiss within these mountains, with some trifling exceptions here- 

 after to be noticed. It will now be necessary to proceed to the next 

 formation in the order of succession. It is of a schistose structure, 

 but very variable in mineral character, comprising micaceous chlorite, 

 talcose, and even argillaceous schist. My observations are not yet suf- 

 ficiently multiplied to determine, whether all those schists form one 

 member in the succession of rocks, or whether the three first are to be 

 considered as most intimately related, and the argillaceous band as the 

 distinct term in the geological series. Some anomalous appearances, 

 which are inimical to the latter view, may perhaps be explained by the in- 

 trusion of the granite masses in the middle of argillaceous strata, but it 

 would be premature at present to decide either way. We may for the 

 more convenience of description, consider them all as members of the 

 same formation, as each in its turn is conterminous with the gneiss. 



161. Beginning with the most western route, we may take up the 

 description where the micaceous schist in succession to gneiss was 

 again exchanged for chlorite schist. Near Lake, the latter rock may 

 be seen, though from its transitions it ought perhaps rather be 

 called a magnesian clay slate, (talco- argillaceous schist.) It has a N. E. 

 dip. It extends to the foot of the descent into the bed of the Salung 

 river. There may be seen an impure limestone associated with a clay 

 slate, the two rocks being found not only in alternate layers, but also 

 occasionally intimately mixed in the same layer. The fragments in 



