1846.] Geological features of Zillah Behar. 59 



boundary, and is of various textures, some exceedingly hard, others very 

 soft. 



The stone from the Khyra peak, which rises to 1,086 feet, is much 

 used for hand-mills, curry- stones, and for other domestic purposes. The 

 whole of this sandstone is covered with a thin covering of forest trees, 

 underwood, and bamboos ; the Saloogunge tree predominating every 

 where. The valleys are filled with the Mimosa catechu, many hundreds 

 of which trees are yearly destroyed in the manufacture of the catechu. 



The next group is that of the hornstone, or Rajgheer range of hills, 

 which although slightly mixed with quartz and jasper, must nevertheless 

 be considered as a hornstone range. The hornstone is of both kinds, 

 conchoidal and woody : the former is found of endless varieties, bright- 

 red, purple-blue and other lively colours, uniting to render this an elegant 

 stone : the latter is universally of a greyish-green colour. This double 

 range of hills presents a series of ragged peaks, offering views of great 

 beauty : their extent is about forty miles from S.W. to N.E. A small hill, 

 evidently a portion of the range appears at Behar ; another small hill, 

 about eighteen miles due east of Gireenk, and another again twelve miles 

 to the south, uniting with the quartz range and granite peak of Kawa Kho. 

 In this range are numerous hot and cold springs, especially at Rajgheer, 

 where there are nineteen hot wells and four cold : on the southern face 

 of the hills, there are a few hot springs similar in character to those of 

 Rajgheer. Half way between the Rajgheer and Burabar hills is situated 

 a collection of hillocks, from which is quarried hornblend of a beautiful 

 texture ; the crystals are large and glossy : also a quantity of potstone, 

 which is much used at Gya by the natives in the manufacture of dishes, 

 plates, mortars and pestles, likewise by the image cutters, who are fa- 

 mous for the elegance of their carvings. A small quantity of potstone, 

 but of an inferior quality, is quarried from the Bruhmjoonee hill, over- 

 hanging the city of Gya. A small hill, west of the station of Gya, yields 

 an indurated reddle used for dyeing clothes of an orange colour, also for 

 metalling the roads in the station ; this mineral is either of an orange, 

 purple, light-red or yellow colour. 



These few notes, combined with the accurate and minute details by 

 Dr. Buchanan, will I hope, render the accompanying Map intelligible. 



