272 Report on the Geological Structure of the Salt Range. [No. 3. 



Small fragments of jet occur in the sandstone, and both in it and 

 the shales, belemnites, and ammonites occur in great abundance. 

 These fossils are of great interest, as enabling us to fix the age of 

 the formation. 



All along the Chichalee Eange the belemnite shales and sandstone 

 are well developed, and are succeeded by the quartzose grit noticed 

 above, which apparently contains no fossils. 



In the oolitic formation there are no building stones of any value ; 

 but many of the limestones are valuable as a source of lime. 



Of minerals, we shall notice the bituminous shales, iron-alum, jet 

 or fossil wood and argillaceous iron-stone. 



The bituminous shales which alternate with the sandstones and 

 grits are occasionally used at Kalibagh in the preparation of alum. 

 Some of them are well adapted for this purpose, but, generally 

 speaking, they are very inferior to the shales of the nummulite lime- 

 stone formation to be hereafter described. 



Iron-alum forms, as before mentioned, an incrustation on the sur- 

 face of the bituminous shales and masses of jet which contain iron 

 pyrites in a state of decomposition. It is called " kaie" by the 

 natives and is extensively used by them, when mixed with an infu- 

 sion of pomegranate or other astringent bark, containing tannin for 

 the preparation of a black dye. Its colour is white with a tinge of 

 yellow. It gives a strong acid reaction, and has a most powerfully 

 astringent taste. Peroxide of iron and alumina are indicated in its 

 solution, by the usual tests, in union with sulphuric acid. In the 

 Bukkh Eavine at Moosakhail, it is collected in considerable quantity. 



Fossil wood in this form of jet occurs in too insignificant quantity 

 in the Salt Eange east of the Indus to have attracted much attention. 

 In a ravine, however, about a mile west of Kalibagh, it occurs in 

 considerable abundance, and under the designation of Kalibagh coal 

 has been employed within the last two years to some extent as a fuel 

 in the Indus steamers. Its existence was, we believe, first brought 

 to the notice of Government by Burnes and Wood, and has since 

 been reported on by Dr. Jamieson and myself. 



It is found in lumps of various sizes in dark bituminous shales 

 alternating with yellow sandstones ; but nothing like a seam has 

 been detected, though films of bituminous coal may in some places 



