4 LAKE: GEOLOGY OF SOUTH MALABAR. 



valley. North and south the laterite-capped hills of the plateau rise 

 above the station (see fig. 2, PI. I). 



On comparing figures I and 2 it will be seen that the broad 

 depression in which New Malapuram stands is analogous to the shal- 

 low valleys of the undulating region, and that the gorge has been 

 excavated at a later date than the upper part of the valley. 



Within an area which is roughly quadrilateral in shape, the four 

 corners being at Urotmala, Pranak6d Hill, Ananghat Hill, and the 

 village of Kolattur (Collatore), the plateau rises to its greatest height, 

 viz., about 500 feet above the sea. On all sides it slopes downwards 

 from this area — to 200 — 250 feet on the banks of the Beypore, and 

 to 350 feet near Tritila, south of the Ponna*ni River. 



Within the region of the plateau with deep valleys, several gneiss 

 hills rise abruptly to a considerable height above the plateau. The 

 chief are (proceeding from north-west to south-east) Wallaiur Hill 

 (about 700 feet), Kondotti 1 Hill, Urotmala (1,573 feet), Pandalur 

 (about 2,000 feet), and Pranakod Hill (1,792 feet). The last three 

 are all in the highest part of the plateau. 



Further inland, the country again becomes undulating like that 



near the coast ; but it is flatter and is really a 



e j* a A in ' plain with shallow valleys cut in it. This type 



of the Ghats. v J Jr 



of country extends to the foot of the Ghats, 



the general level being broken only by irregular gneissic hills of 

 no great height. It is 250 to 350 feet above the sea, and therefore 

 much lower than the highest part of the plateau. 



The whole of the country west of the Ghats may, according to the 

 description just given, be divided into four regions, vi2, : — 



(1) The coastal region. 



(2) The undulating region (western part of the plateau). 



(3) The gorge region (the highest or central part of the plateau). 



(4) The plain at the foot of the Gh&ts. 



The first of these does not belong to the plateau at all, but forms 

 a sort of ledge at the foot of the western edge of the plateau. The 

 true plateau begins on the west with the undulating region, which is 



1 Coondoty of map— 16 miles from Calicut on the road to Manjeri. 

 ( 204 ) 



