GEOLOGY OF CENTRAL INDIA. 



43 



it, by a similarity, or rather identity, of organic remains. As I said before, 

 however, the opportunities which I have enjoyed of making observations 

 on this belt, have been very limited. 



These limestones, then, occur distinctly stratified. They are of a 

 close texture, and of a dull color, generally greenish blue or lead grey — 

 sometimes, too, they have a reddish tinge, — in other instances they are 

 dirty white, while in one situation I have seen them of a brownish black 

 color, and these latter emit a disagreeable smell on being rubbed. They 

 never occur variegated, nor do they admit of a high polish, or of any depth 

 of tint. On exposure, the surface acquires a duller aspect, and becomes 

 slightly argillaceous. They are, generally speaking, compact, and many 

 of them may be split into slabs of immense magnitude, varying in thick- 

 ness from a few inches to a foot or a foot and a half. They form an 

 excellent building stone, and are characterised by their large couchoidal 

 fracture which passes, in many instances, into conchoidal splintry. 

 These limestones sometime, though rarely so, are found larger 

 grained. They occur in strata, generally slightly inclined in an east- 

 erly or south-easterly direction. Exceptions to this rule may here 

 and there be observed ; but it is my object in this merely to give a 

 general description of their mode of occurrence, without descending to 

 minute particulars. The strata are very frequently separated from each 

 other by thin layers of a loose calcareo-argillaceous substance, and 

 nothing like the caverns, which usually distinguish the mountain limestone 

 formation, can be observed in the rocks of this belt. 



The Organic Remains of these limestones are numerous ; but I am 

 sorry that my limited information on this subject will not enable me to 

 give as satisfactory an account of these as I could wish. Though 

 a miserable Draftsman, I have endeavoured to represent one or two 



