1845.] Notes on the South Mahratta Country, fyc. 289 



leaving Darwar of about 40°, being nearly due N. and S., dipping at 

 an angle of about 40° towards the East. They terminate on the N. 

 E. between Savanoor and Gudduck, close to Lackmaisir. Here a spur 

 from the principal N. and S. line of elevation runs nearly E. and W. 

 dipping towards the S. ; several similar spurs are crossed between Bun- 

 wassi and Lackmaisir ; the dykes of greenstone run in a similar direc- 

 tion. The schists, in the vicinity of the dykes, are indurated, silicious, 

 and often abound with iron. Crystals of liver and brass-coloured iron 

 pyrites are scattered through its structure ; cotton soil alternates in these 

 strips with the red clayey alluvial soil ; it was first observed W. of 

 Bankassur, near which the vegetation peculiar to the W. Ghauts ter- 

 minates rather abruptly. 



At Lackmaisir, gneiss is seen on the bank of a nullah running near- 

 ly E. and W. with a dip of 35° towards the S., and farther N. it rises 

 into a low round backed ridge. Proceeding still more N. granite 

 occurs in low bosses and detached blocks, and rises into a few clusters 

 at the town of Kul Mulgoond. Near Hurti, on the S. flank of the 

 Kupputgode range, resting on the gneiss, is a hill of mammiform shape, 

 having its surface covered with detached, angular, and rugged masses 

 of a calcareous rock, which appear to have been subjected to the action 

 of violent disruptive forces. It is very liable to be mistaken, from the 

 colour, hardness and granular texture, for a variety of the massive 

 chlorite schist we have just left behind ; and in some hard specimens it 

 resembles diallage and serpentine. The mass of it however, on the 

 application of a lens, clearly exhibits its true aggregate character : it is 

 composed of minute angular fragments of a dark glistening quartz, and 

 crystals of a pale flesh-coloured felspar, cemented by a greenish, gra- 

 nular subcrystalline paste, composed principally of carbonate of lime, 

 and containing disseminated scales of mica. The application of dilute 

 nitric acid to the rock excited but a feeble effervescence ; but from the 

 powder, the extraction of carbonic acid gas was abundantly evident. 

 Like the chlorite slate, it imbeds cubical, brass, and liver-coloured iron 

 pyrites. Before the blow pipe, per se, it phosphoresces slightly, and 

 exhibits, on thin edges, shining points of black enamel. The compact 

 varieties of this rock are susceptible of a high polish, and are used for 

 ornamental architecture. Some of the finely polished slabs in the 



