16^ 



Descriptio7i of a nexc species 



[No. 



The tank is nearly square, 23 paces long by 22 broad. The 

 depth varies from about 3 to 5 feet. It is filled by the thermal 

 springs chiefly from the eastern side bubbling up from at least seven- 

 teen orifices. The principal jet has been contrived to leap forth from 

 the mouth of a cow rudely sculptured in stone : and the quantity of 

 water is said to suffer little sensible alteration in quantity. The 

 temperature is 88^ 7^ Faht. at the sources: 85° in the pool. Tem- 

 perature of air in shade 78°; time 7i a. m. October. The approxi- 

 mate height of the springs above the sea is about 800 feet and the 

 mean temperature of the surrounding country cannot exceed 80°. 

 The water is remarkably clear, with a faint aqua-marina hue, and 

 abounds in fish, some of considerable size — held sacred by the 

 Sivaite priests. The supply is so abundant that after its escape 

 from the pool it forms at once a considerable stream, part of which 

 contributes to the supply of the great tank of Nandial about 10 

 miles to the westward of the springs. It is perfectly tasteless, con- 

 tains a few bubbles of fixed air, and reddens litmus paper; oxalate of 

 ammonia renders it slightly milky, nitrate of silver less so. 



The formation of the surrounding country is the diamond sandstone 

 and limestone invaded by trap dykes. Both diamond and lead mines 

 lie in the vicinity. 



There are two or three other smaller thermal springs in the 

 thicket outside the enclosure of the temple: the temperature of 

 which I was unable to ascertain at the orifices from their being choked 

 np -with vegetation. The temperature of the water in the pools they 

 formed averaged about 85°. 



I have little doubt that many other thermal springs exist in the 

 diamond district, and throughout the line of dislocation of the eastern 

 ghats. Similar phenomena on a grander scale are remarked along 

 those of the Himalayas, and western ghats, where the earth and 

 crust has been broken up from greater depths, and the deeper foun- 

 tains of our planet have been thus brought up to fertilize its surface, 

 and to administer to the wants of man and animals. 



V. — Description of a new species of Terrestrial Planaria^ hy 

 Mr. Walter Elliot, Civil Service. With a Plate. 

 During the rainy months of the N. E. monsoon, numbers of long 



dark coloured slugs may be observed crawling about, among rubbish 



