12 



^be expected that the ordinary proofs of marine origin should 

 be found far away from the coast line of to-day. Hence the 

 proofs become facts, as regards the present coast zone, and 

 analogy as we proceed inland. 



If my arguments be correct, this district is one of dolo* 

 mitic and submarine formation, modified and changed by 

 secondary and tertiary elevation and denudation, into its 

 present form ; while from the denuded state of its strata, 

 we may conclude it was raised prior to the area of the 

 Jaffiia formation, and by its sheltering influence saved that 

 deposit from the corroding action of coast waves. How 

 far this theory will apply to the similar districts in the 

 Peninsula of India, it is not my intention to trace here ; 

 inasmuch as I have not access to any work on the formation 

 of that country in a general sense, and containing details 

 sufficient to justify my considering them in connection with 

 our own, but this is of little importance, as the present paper 

 professes to be nothing more than an introduction of the 

 question among our circle. 



The general features of the south- western coast are a suc- 

 cession of rocky headlands, alternating with sweeping sandy 

 bays, fringed by long rows of cocoanuts, while broad man- 

 grove-lined lagoons are here and there drying up into sour 

 sterile marshes, dotted with the screw pine and kihila tree, 

 drained by streams of brackish water, and choked by bars of 

 sand. 



Out to sea, we now and then find small rocky islets facing 

 the deeper bays, and flat coral reefs breaking the wash of the 

 south-western monsoon, while everywhere at varying depths, 

 rocky masses abound as far out as the fisherman's craft can 

 trace them. Further inland we find the rocky headlands as hil- 



