1852.] The Kurrukpoor Hills. 203 



ed ou its summit where invalids from Monghyr would, during the 

 great heats of summer find relief from the difference of temperature. 



The summit of the mountain is composed of a coarse ferruginous 

 nodular clay somewhat similar to laterite, resting upon asbestos, which 

 lies upon hornstone, and beneath all, quartz rock, the strata of which 

 dip 85° to the south-east, direction of strata north and south. It is 

 difficult to say where the quartz commences or the hornstone ceases, 

 as they pass into each other by such gradual gradations. 



Looking north and down into the jungle, large bare masses of quartz 

 rock are seen protruding through the surface of the country and over- 

 topping the highest trees, with a dip in the strata of 80° to the north-east. 



The ferruginous clay-like laterite at the summit of the mountain is 

 excavated into natural caves highly polished by the frequent visits of 

 the long-tailed monkeys which abound in the woods in these hills. 



On the summit of this mountain we fell in with several of the gigan- 

 tic yellow webs of the epeirse spider, which are as remarkable for their 

 strength of web as they are for the variety of their forms and colors ; 

 the present specimens were red and black, of a formidable size and 

 very active ; some of the webs we found stretched across our path 

 measuring from 10 to 20 feet in diameter, that is, including the guy 

 ropes which are fastened to some neighbouring tree or clump of bam- 

 boo ; the reticulated portion being about five feet in diameter, in the 

 centre of which the spider sits waiting for his prey. The webs from 

 their great strength offered a sensible resistance when forcing our way 

 through them ; in the web of one of the spiders we found a bird 

 entangled and the young spiders about eight in number feeding upon 

 the carcass. The bird was, with the exception of his legs and beak, 

 entirely enveloped in web, and was much decomposed ; the entwined 

 web had completely pinioned the wings of the bird so as to render his 

 escape impossible. The bird was about the size of a field lark and was 

 near the centre of the web ; the old spider was about a foot above the 

 bird ; we secured, measured and bottled him. His dimensions were six 

 inches across the legs ; he was armed with a formidable pair of mandibles. 



During the day, cleared the jungle around the Trigonometrical cairn, 

 and towards evening commenced building a temporary hut of boughs 

 and bamboos to sleep in. At sunset, set fire to the jungle that we 

 had cut down and which we had piled to the height of 30 feet, some- 

 body volunteering a clean dry shirt to light the fire with, as every thing 



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