NO. 48. — 1897.] GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY. 



49 



above high water mark, and so the low sandy plains of 

 Puttalam and Chilaw have been proportionally extended. 

 Brodie writes : — 



All along the sea coast there are a series of horizontal beds of 

 sandstone, never elevated more than a few feet above the present 

 water level. The rock itself varies in structure and contains 

 numerous enclosed shells and coral limes, apparently identical with 

 species existing in the neighbouring island. The shells in many cases 

 retain the enamel, and are in all respects as if they had just been 

 washed into the sea. At Karativu, fourteen miles to the north, there 

 are various strata of calcareous rock, some friable as marl, some highly 

 indurated.* 



From Chilaw southwards, exposed during the prevalence 

 of the north-east monsoon, is a breccia in process of forma- 

 tion from the agglutination of coral fragments and shells 

 mixed with sand. " Further north at Madampe, between 

 Chilaw and Negombo," says Tennent, " the shells of the 

 pearl oysters and other bivalves are turned up by the plough 

 more than ten miles from the sea."f Again, " at various 

 points of the western coast, between the island of Mannar 

 and Karativu, the natives, in addition to fishing for chank 

 shells (Turbenella vajja) in the sea, dig them up in large 

 quantities from beneath the soil on the adjacent shores, in 

 which they are deeply imbedded. "{ 



Mr. Haly, the Director of the Colombo Museum, explored 

 the coast opposite Karativu as far as Kudramalai point and 

 collected interesting specimens of the formation, duplicates 

 of which he sent to Berlin with a short account of the coast. 

 The writer has been at some pains to obtain a copy of this 

 account, as well as of the report thereon, which was solicited 

 from the Berlin authorities, but without success. The 

 specimens were — 



(1) A kind of laterite, of which fragments that had fallen 

 in the sea became hardened and acquired a polish, showing 



16-97 



* Journal, C.B.R.A.S., No. 6, 1853. 

 f Tennent's " Ceylon," vol. I., p. 12. 

 j Ibid, p. 20 



K 



