23 Dr Kelaart's Notes on the Geology of Ceylon. 



external honours, without having sought them in the least. 

 But these could not estrange him from science ; on the con- 

 trary, he took advantage of every higher position for its 

 benefit. Science was always solely the object of his en- 

 deavours, and lie never employed them for a purpose foreign 

 to it. So completely was his whole life dedicated to science, 

 that, even under the sufferings resulting from a painful 

 disease during his latter years, his whole thoughts remained 

 bent upon it alone. 



Such men present in their inspired labours, as it were, the 

 type of the true man of science ; and who does not feel him- 

 self happy to meet them in life ? 



Notes on the Geology of Ceylon. — Laterite Formation. — 

 Fluviatile Deposit of Nuera Ellia. By E. F. Kelaart, 

 M.D., F.L.S., F.G.S., Assistant Surgeon to the Forces. 

 Communicated by the Author. 



Though the geological formations of Ceylon are of a simple 

 nature, and described as such by writers, that attention has 

 not been paid to the laterite formation of the island which it 

 deserves ; some have called it decayed clay ironstone, others 

 have described it to be granitic rocks weathered in situ. It 

 has not, however, been so slightly regarded by Indian geolo- 

 gists ; their more recent researches have discovered new fea- 

 tures in this peculiar formation, which have thrown great 

 doubts as to its being the mere result of disintegrated or de- 

 composed trappean rocks in situ. Captain Newbold of the, 

 Madras Engineers has even gone so far as to suspect it to be 

 of tertiary origin. It is with a view of drawing the attention 

 of observers in this island, for a more complete elucidation 

 of this subject, that this communication is submitted to the 

 Ceylon Asiatic Society. 



The term laterite (derived from later, a brick) is applied to 

 those masses of reddish clay, more or less indurated, and 

 containing pebbles or crystals of quartz. It is called by the 

 Singalesc cabook, and it is used extensively for building 

 purposes. There arc several varieties of laterite, and which 



