1836.] the Country hetween Hyderabad and Nagpur, 209 



observed in horizontal strata at Muneer, not far from some great 

 blocks, containing marine fossils, in one specimen of which small 

 univalve shells were found. But as this locality was only examined 

 by torch light, T could form no judgment as to the formation being the 

 same; although the total absence of fossils in the blue limestone over 

 extensive tracts in which I have searched for them, incline me to think 

 that they are different. 



The relative age of the blue limestone and great trap formation, to 

 which these hills belong, being ascertained by these and other facts ; it 

 may be hoped, that a careful comparison of the fossils will assist in 

 determining the period to which other rocks occurring to the north and 

 south belong. I have not been able to detect amongst them any of the 

 Himalaya fossils ; but some fragments found in indurated clay at Jirpoh, 

 near the hot springs in the valley of the Nerbada, and in a specim en 

 from the Gawilgurh fossil rock, described by Dr. Voysey in the 18th 

 vol. of the As. Res. appear to belong to some of the same shells. 



The march to the Payngunga river is over a flat country of black soil, 

 modified in some places by a mixture of earth derived from slate clay, 

 which appears occasionally at the surface, and of the same kind as that; 

 found below the limestone of Cuddapah, or which takes its place under 

 the diamond breccia of Banganapilly. Jaspers, striped red and white, 

 are found in the black soil. Scattered over this extensive plain are 

 a number of small conical hillocks of white kankar, apparently formed 

 by springs issuing from the centre, and now dried up : in some of them 

 the apex is a little depressed. Several long straight ranges are seen at 

 a distance, generally flat on the summits, but occasionally rising into 

 cones, with a lengthened base, corresponding to the direction of the 

 hills. About half up the greatest height a remarkable line extends all 

 along, on which the summits appear to rise as on a terrace, or like the 

 parallel roads of Glen Roy. 



The pebbles of the Payngunga are principally calcedonies of a red- 

 dish colour and the blue limestone. Calcareous sandy tuff is found 

 on the banks of this fine river, as high as 25 feet above the water 

 at the fort ; and is always horizontal, with black soil between the 

 layers, which are from an inch to three feet thick. The surface 

 is irregular, but seldom or ever shoots into branches like the tufa 

 of the Godavery, and holes occasionally occur in the layers, -from 

 a deficiency of lime ; in other places, it projects three or four feet, 

 in consequence of the soft soil being washed away. In one of the 

 specimens, numerous recent shells are imbedded, which correspond 

 in situation to a layer of these left in the sand by the last fall of 

 the river ; and it is evident, that the tufa is formed from the infiltra- 

 tion of the lime with which the black soil and the water of the river 

 abound, into layers of sand. In all these rivers, and in the stream of 



