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Geology of the Neilgherrics. 



[No. 12, NEW SERIES. 



XVI. — Contributions to the Geology and Mineralogy of the Neil- 

 gherry Hills. By Major H. Congreve. 



" And this our life exempt from public haunt, # 

 Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, 

 Sermons in stones, and good in every th ng." 



Mysore and Neilgherries. 

 During my hurried journey as an invalid through Mysore to- 

 wards the Hills, my opportunities for Geological observation were 

 necessarily very limited, however I do not hesitate to publish, 

 because in the present state of Geological Science every thing 

 contributing to increase our information must be valuable. 



Ramghur. — About three miles to the eastward of Ramghur, 

 rising from the plain, are a number of white rocks the partial 

 disintegration of which has afforded the surface soil. On exami- 

 nation, these prove to be aggregations of felspar crystals with a 

 few grains of quartz disseminated. 



Sindhtjlly. —In the undulating configuration of the surface of 

 this part of Mysore, the Geologist at once recognises the metamor- 

 phic formation, the Rocks of which seem to be suspended, as it 

 were, between the distant Primary Hills. A section of the surface 

 in the bank of a nullah discovered strata of Mica slate, Hornblende 

 Gneiss, and common Gneiss. The Micaceous Schist is passing into 

 clay slate ; it contains elongated plates of mica of a greenish color 

 bearing a resemblance to badly pronounced crystals of Pyrophy- 

 lite. Hornblende Gneiss is a rock I have never before met with 

 in this country. It differs from common Gneiss in having small 

 laminae of Hornblende substituted for the plates of mica. 



The soil is a red earth ; the degradation of the rocks so far ad- 

 vanced to ruin as to comminute between the fingers : even the 

 quartz dispersed over the surface of the country in pebbles and 

 angular fragments, pulverises in like manner. Broken pieces of a 

 greyish conglomerate are also met with. I was unable to ascer- 

 tain the dip of the Strata. 



Goondulpett. — The plain between the Bungalow and the Fort 

 is strewed with fragments of conglomerate and porphyry, The 



