1.836.] 



of. the Southern Mahratta Country. 



465 



having even summits/ and, when seen from a distance, they look like 

 huge natural walls. .'. . , .. . 



North of the Mulperha, the strata of sandstone are in general more 

 or less inclined ; and they appear to rest there unconformably upon 

 the transition rocks, namely the clay-slates, greywacke, limestone, &c„ 



In regard to its mineral composition and structure this rock varies 

 exceedingly. It occurs under the forms of a coarse conglomerate, a 

 coarse sandstone, and different varieties of compact quartz. Its most 

 common colours are red and brown ; and it is frequently variegated 

 with white. 



At Gudju'nderghur, and in the hills which extend from that place to 

 Badamy, it is in the form of a very coarse sandstone. It there consists, 

 generally speaking, of grains of quartz, cemented together by means 

 of clay. Sometimes the quartz is in large rounded or angular masses, 

 thus forming a coarse conglomerate. Generally, however, it is in 

 smaller grains -of uniform size, forming a coarse sandstone. Its general 

 colour is red. Sometimes it is variegated with white ; the white being in 

 patches, or in straight or waved lines ; and I have seen large round 

 nodules of white imbedded in the red base. 



To the north of the Mulperba the quartz, or compact variety, prevails. 

 It has a splintery fracture and brown colour. In many instances it is 

 traversed in all directions by white veins. It is, in many places, asso- 

 ciated with puddingstone, w T hich occasionally forms very large beds. 

 In the hills of Nurgoond and Chick Nurgoond, both the arenaceous 

 and compact varieties are found very near each other. In one part of 

 the latter hill, the compact variety has, on the large scale, somewhat 

 of a spheroidal structure. In the south-east part of the Nurgoond Hill 

 there is a large mass of a diaphanous quartz with a bluish colour, and 

 disseminated grains of felspar. This variety is by no means uncommon, 

 especially in the hills south of Kulladghee, where it has sometimes a 

 reddish or white colour. 



Some geologists might be disposed to arrange this sandstone with 

 the old red sandstone of English geologists (transition red sandstone 

 of the Germans) ; but I am inclined to consider it identical with the 

 old or new red sandstones of the \V ernerian geognosy ; and, therefore, 

 as very generally disposed in an unconformable position in regard to 

 the transition rocks. I will now, therefore, state, as briefly as possi- 

 ble, the circumstances upon which I rest this opinion. 



First, In many parts of the Darwar district the sandstone hills | 

 have horizontal strata, level summits, and, for many miles, exactly the 

 same altitude ; while at one part we find granite, at another part tran- 

 sition rocks, immediately at their bases. 



Secondly, On the south-east declivity of the small hill of Chick 

 Nurgoond, the schists are not covered by debris. Their dip is vertical, 



