294 



On the Sevdlik Hills. 



[Oct. 



tween the Ganges and the Jumna ; a name which appears to me better 

 than that of the " Lower Hills" or the " Sub- Himalayan," terms, 

 equally applicable to the subordinate ranges northwards of the Hima- 

 layas. 



These preliminary observations will make the reader acquainted 

 with the field of our fossil discoveries ; and I proceed to the descrip- 

 tion of the geological features of the tract. The formations composing 

 the hills, consist of beds of boulders or shingle, either loosely mix- 

 ed or agglutinated by clay and carbonate of lime ; of sands of various 

 degrees of consistency ; of marl or clay conglomerate ;* and of an infinite 

 variety of clays ; the two latter being most extensively developed to 

 the westward of the Jumna. The strata dip from 15 to 35 degrees, 

 generally towards the north ; and the breadth of the inclined beds is from 

 six lo eight miles. 



The succession of the strata is irregular, with the exception of the 

 shingle in the more northern tracts, where it appears to overlay as well 

 as to alternate with the sandstones; whereas, although the debris is in 

 considemble abundance in the water-courses, and on the flanks of the 

 hills, I have never met with these shingle-beds south of the most north- 

 ern half of the hills. A similar remark applies to the marl, but in a 

 contrary direction, as it occurs only to the south. The want of the 

 marl in the northern sections may be accounted for, by suppossing it to 

 have been either a local deposition or a general one, which is laot exposed 

 throughout its entire range. 



Although I consider the whole of this tract of mountain as composed 

 of one formation, it may be of use to divide the portion between the 

 Jumna and Ganges, from that westward of the former river, as it ap- 

 pears to me, that there is a marked difference (as before stated) in the 

 shingle strata, as well as in the position and number of the clay beds ; 

 although perhaps nothing further than would be exhibited on any ex- 

 tended line of country, formed of debris from different tracts of moun- 

 tains- The causes which upheaved this district, apparently acted more 

 energetically in the contracted surface eastward of the Jumna, than 

 in that to the westward ; though, in the latter, the surface upheaved is 

 much more extended. I shall therefore divide these notes into two 



• I call this stratum clay-conglomerate, the beds being composed of fragments of an 

 indurated c\a.y, cemented together by clay, sand, and carbonate of lime ; the clay itself 

 eflfervescing strongly with acids. The rock is, in general, exceedingly hard and tough, 

 as is shown in those parts where it is in contact with the stream of the rivers, ^yhich ap- 

 pear to have had little power upon it. 



