1848.] 



the late Dr, A. T. Christie. 



151 



his health, havhig shortly before succeeded to the small landed pro- 

 perty of Grueldykes in Berwickshire ; in consequence of which he 

 adopted, in addition to his own, the maternal surname of Christie. An 

 opportunity was now afiordedhim for the renevval of his scientific stu- 

 dies, of which he eagerly availed himself, prompted not only by his taste 

 for such pursuits, but by his anxiety to carry out a favorite and long 

 cherished project for systematically and thoroughly investigating the 

 natural history of India. During his intervals of leisure he con- 

 tributed various papers, the results of his previous observations, to 

 the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal, conducted by his old master 

 Professor Jameson. The chief of these was a valuable topographical 

 description of the Dharwar province, and neighbouring districts, 

 entitled " Sketches of the meteorology, geology, agriculture, bo- 

 tany, and zoology of the southern Mahratta country in the 

 course of which he gave one of the earliest, if not the very first des- 

 cription of the cataract near Garsuppa in Canara, with notices of the 

 ruins of Bijanagar and other places of interest. 



The chief value of this paper consists in the minute and interesting 

 observations it contains on the geognostic relations of the tract be- 

 tween Hyderabad and the Malabar Coast, and the Dooab cb^f the Kistna 

 and Tongabadra. 



Meantime, his application to the Court of Directors, for permission 

 to devote himself more exclusively to his favorite pursuits, had been 

 attended with success. In a despatch of the 2d June, 1830, they trans- 

 mitted to Madras the testimonials which he had submitted of his 

 qualifications, and authorized the Government of Fort St. George to 

 relieve him from his duties as a medical ofiicer, for the space of two 

 years, to enable him to prosecute his researches in geology and mi- 

 neralogy, during which he was to receive the ordinary' pay and al- 

 low^ances of a medical officer, without a specific professional charge. 

 These testimonials v^'hich are given belowf were of the most flattering 



* Edin. Phih Journal, Vols, for 1828, p. 292—1828-29, p. 98-1829, p. 49, 

 re-published in this Journal, Vol. IV. pp. 185 and 452. 



t Geological Society, Somerset House, &th April, 1830. 

 My DEAR Sir, 



You are probably well aware of the very imperfect state of our know- 

 ledge respecting the Geological structure of the Peninsula of Hindos- 

 tan, and you will therefore, we feel certain, lend your assistance in 

 the furtherance of any effort to acquire the requisite information thereon. 

 A friend of ours, and a fellow of our Society, Dr. James Turnbull 



