1839.] of the country extending between Bhar and Simla. 1047 



the meantime we beg to draw attention to the villages occurring 

 between Boag and Draw, in order that it may be proved whether 

 goitre is prevalent or not. In its characters, the limestone varies from 

 compact to earthy, the latter caused by the action of the weather ; its 

 colour varies from greyish white to bluish black, and in many places 

 we find large embedded masses of stinkstone, of a dark greyish brown 

 colour, or rather we ought to say, that the limestone during its depo- 

 sition, has, by the evolution of sulphurated hydrogen, been converted 

 into this mineral ; when broken, the fceted odour is strongly percep- 

 tible. For architectural purposes, and as a top dressing when burnt, 

 to soils containing the salt of iron, or any acid matter, this limestone 

 is admirably adapted. In this manner many of the soils in India 

 might be much improved. In structure, the slate clay and bitu- 

 minous shale vary much ; in some places indurated, in others partly 

 decomposed. Their colour also varies much ; of the former the 

 most prevalent colour is greyish black, of the latter, brownish black ; 

 sometimes the slate clay, owing to the abundance of iron, is of a reddish 

 brown colour. At the village of Boriti the slate clay has an angle of 70°, 

 and is much contorted; near to this there is a thin bed of slate embedded 

 in the sandstone. In regard to the rocks of the coal formation here, and 

 those of other localities already mentioned, we may state (as we 

 have already done generally) that they present the same minera- 

 logical characters as those rocks, occupying a similar position in 

 Europe. The true position of the coal measures, which has fre- 

 quently been given erroneously by authors in this country, is when 

 the geological series is complete between the red conglomerate 

 and mountain or carboniferous limestone; the former the Rothi- 

 bugende* of the Germans is frequently wanting; when this 

 occurs, we have the magnesian limestone superimposed upon the 

 coal measures. In a work lately published on Indian Geology, 

 it has been stated, that the magnesian limestone occurs, alterna- 

 ting with the coal strata. As such a statement is very apt to lead 

 to a serious error, we have been induced to notice it. The rocks 

 which the author has found, are merely the limestone of the coal 

 formation, impregnated with magnesia ; and it is a fact, proved by a 

 vast series of experiments, that when the coal or any other limestone 

 comes in contact with trap, it generally receives a large dose of mag. 



* In England it is sometimes termed the Exeter red conglomerate. In Scotland it 

 has never been met with. 



