GEOLOGY OF THE AREA IQ 



At Pandikid (8 miles east of Manjeri) the relation between the 

 two varieties is well seen. The village lies in a valley, to the east 

 of which is a ridge about 240 feet higher, capped by vesicular laterite, 

 in which are a few small angular fragments of gneiss. The side of 

 the ridge is of gneiss and at the foot is pellety laterite full of 

 angular blocks of gneiss (Fig. 5, PI. III). 



The blocks of gneiss are by far more numerous just at the foot 

 of the hill than at some distance off. It seems clear that the lower 

 laterite has been formed by the washing down of the pellets from 

 above ; and that at the same time blocks of gneiss have fallen with 

 them from the side of the hill. 



These are the two chief varieties of laterite ; but, though the 

 general distinction between them is clear, there are many areas of 

 laterite in which the two are mixed. When the pellets of laterite, 

 washed down from some higher place, become mixed with clay, a new 

 concretionary action is set up and the pellets may be partially or en- 

 tirely obliterated. Or on a surface of the vesicular laterite a sort of 

 vein of the pellety variety may be seen running through it. This 

 occurs, for example, on the hills north of Kadananjeri. No doubt a 

 cleft or joint was first formed (and in the Kadananjeri laterite the 

 joints are particularly well marked) and the pellets derived from the 

 neighbouring rock washed into it. 



Again, the upper part of a bed of laterite may be pellety, while 

 the lower is vesicular. 



Distribution of Laterite. 

 In accordance with the physical features of the country, the area 

 under consideration may be divided into four regions already describ- 

 ed, viz. — 



(1) The coastal region. 



(2) The undulating region. 



(3) The gorge region. 



(4) The plain at the foot of the Ghats. 



In the first, there is very little laterite visible at the surface; no- 

 thing but a few low hills and rocks. 



C 2 ( 219 ) 



