390 Geological Report on a portion 



trees, one of which had a structure resembling pine ; some of the 

 broken stems had a diameter of two feet, and the quantity exposed 

 upon a small area was truly wonderful. I could only collect as 

 many of the bones as I could carry on my own person, but amongst 

 these are bones of the mastodon or elephant, portions of the tusk of 

 the same (no molars were observed), part of the jaw of hippopota- 

 mus, various bones of crocodiles with broken jaws of the same, and 

 many others which it will take time to make out. Thus it would 

 appear that on the northern and southern base of this limestone 

 range (the first proceeding northwards from the Desert), there are 

 strata having the same character, and that in both places similar 

 fossil bones are found imbedded in a loosely cemented gravel, contain- 

 ing shells of Paludina and Cardium. 



About five miles to the north, advancing towards the Deyrah 

 Valley, a deep-bedded boulder conglomerate is met with ; and one 

 mile further the nummulitic limestone again crops out, the strata 

 dipping north at about 45°. This range of limestone forms the 

 southern side of the Deyrah Valley, and, it will be observed, dips 

 into it ; at the base it supports a stratum of conglomerate, which is 

 lost in the valley. 



The Deyrah Valley stretches nearly east and west, corresponding 

 with the mountain ranges ; its mean breadth is about four miles, and 

 its length perhaps forty miles. The soil is alluvial, and is in many 

 places covered with boulders of nummulitic limestone. 



The northern side of the valley is flanked with a range of hills 

 composed of stratified boulder conglomerate. The boulders are 

 nummulitic limestone, and the strata dip into the Deyrah Valley at 

 angles varying from 20° to 35° : the northern aspect of this range is 

 precipitous. 



Immediately north of this conglomerate there is a very narrow 

 valley abutting at the foot of the Trukkee nummulitic limestone 

 range ; this valley is broken by many small hills of a conical shape, 

 composed of calcined clays of various colours, containing sulphur and 

 scoria ; and these seem to have been volcanic vents emitting gaseous 

 vapours, and perhaps occasionally ejecting stones, but never lava. 

 No igneous rocks exist in the country visited, nor is any rock older 

 than the nummulitic limestone to be found. 





