GEOLOGY OF THE AREA. 25 



south to north by the side of this spur (and which passes by Kotta- 

 kal), there is again a cap, a terrace, and a valley-flooring of laterite 

 (Fig. 11, PI. V). 



Three other examples, on a still smaller scale, may be given. 

 The first is near Mambit, about 5 miles below Nilambur on the 

 Beypore River. The road from the village south-west descends on 

 o-neiss, crosses a stream^ and ascends on the other side. In the ascent 

 it passes over a little terrace of laterite (Fig. 12, PI. V). 



The next two are near Kong^d (about n miles from Palghat on 

 the old road to Calicut). Near the 14th milestone the road as we go 

 eastward rises from a paddy-flat covered with laterite to a gneiss 

 bank. Still rising it passes over a laterite terrace, and again reaches 

 gneiss (Fig. 13, PI. V). 



Close to Kongad the road crosses a low hill round which, at a 

 height of some 20 feet above the paddy-flats, is a ring of laterite. 

 The top of the hill is of gneiss (Fig. 14, Pi, V). 



Valley laterite. — This occurs in all the broader valleys and even 

 in those of many very small streams. In some places, as in the 

 neighbourhood of Manjeri and near Wandur, it forms extensive 

 spreads. Often the channels of the streams cut through it and reach 

 the gneiss below, so that the laterite is really on a terrace raised a 

 very little above the stream. But it is convenient to separate this 

 from the laterite of the higher and older terraces. 



In the laterite of the valleys there is often a most complete mix- 

 ture of the two varieties, pellety and vesicular. It is hard to say 

 which predominates. 



In some places, e.g., near Kolattur, Ariakod, and Shoranur,. the 

 valley laterite passes down into the gneiss below as if derived from 

 its decomposition. 



In a new cutting at the side of the road from Shoranur Station to 

 Vaniamkolam, the passage downwards is well seen. The gneiss is 

 distinctly laminated, and the less easily decomposed laminae rise up 

 into the laterite sometimes to a height of 2 or 3 feet. The other 

 laminae are converted into laterite to a corresponding depth. 



( 22 5 ) 



