60 



ROYAL ASTATIC SOCIETY, (CEYLON BRANCH.) 



quartzite destitute of felspar or mica or any of the other 

 constituents of gneiss. When it is understood that this 

 quartzite forms only one stratum in a distinct series of 

 metamorphosed rocks — of which crystalline limestone is 

 another ; the former having been sandstone and the latter 

 ordinary limestone and before metamorphic action took 

 place, and that this series extends in all probability over 

 nearly the whole Island, i, e., whenever the gneiss is found, 

 it will appear extremely likely, especially when the dis- 

 turbed state of this gneiss formation is taken into account, 

 that the same band of rock will reappear — as indeed the 

 writer has been informed that it does in Ouvah — and thus 

 be the cause of other patanas. If the above fact with regard 

 to Ouvah be correct, for the writer has never been able to 

 verify it himself, it would appear not unlikely that this 

 great Mountain Plain may be shewn to be chiefly composed 

 of the debris of this quartzite — which owing to the deficiency 

 of rainfall caused by the protection of the Saffragam moun- 

 tains has never been washed way. The writer however does 

 not wish to do more in this case than hazard a conjecture. 



January, 1876. 



R. ABBAY. 



§ FEB 1 &6 / 



