3G2 



Geology of the DeccaiU 



not seen it in veins. Pseudomorphous quartz is common ; the most 

 frequent impression is that of rhomb spar. Lime occurs only in three 

 crystalline forms: rhomb, dog-tooth, and the dodecahedron. The, 

 first is found on the surface, and imbedded in masses of quartz and 

 compact mesotype ; the two latter forms are associated with ichthy- 

 ophthalmite in cavities in the amygdaloid strata*. 



The following are a few of the mineral localities : — At Kothool, 



south of Ahmednuggur, the numerous quartz and chalcedony veins 

 cover the country with agates, colourless quartz-crystals, and chal- 

 cedony ; some of the specimens are fully a foot thick, including 

 both walls of the vein. Here are met with some few crystals of cal- 

 carious spar inclosed in quartz. At Ahmednuggur, to the above sili- 

 ceous minerals, some members of the zeolite family are to be added, 

 principally stilbite. At Nandoor, on the plain of the Goda very river, 

 the zeolites disappear, and the siliceous minerals are limited in num- 

 ber. On the contrary, at Jamgaon, eighteen miles west of Ahmednug- 

 gur, on the upper terrace or plateau, in addition to all the minerals 

 enumerated, bits of yellow and red jasper and heliotrope occur. As- 

 scending the Mool river from Nandoor, at Aklapoor, great masses of 

 mesotype, with radii several inches long, are found imbedded in fria- 

 ble amygdaloid. North of Aklapoor, at Gorgaon, a new mineral 

 occurs in a mass two feet in diameter. Its depth I do not know, as it lay 

 partly buried in the amygdaloid bed of the river : its colour green, and 

 breaking into rhombs. Gorgaon is the only locality known to me of 

 this mineral. Its measurements are those of calcarious spar, but the 

 specific gravity is less. It is stated to be coloured by green earth. 

 It is interesting from being unknown in the cabinets in England. 



A few miles further up the Mool river, at the village of Chas, in the 

 shoulder of a hill formed of numerous thin horizontal beds of decom- 

 posing amygdaloid, many specimens of cloudy calcarious spar, imbed, 

 ded in stilbite, are found, and the siliceous minerals are rare. Ascend- 

 ing to the source of the river the same scarcity prevails. Three miles 

 south-south-west of Chas, at Brahmunwareh, great masses of stilbite, of 

 the radiating foliate kind, are imbedded in hard amygdaloid. In the hill 

 fort of H urreechundurghur, although siliceous minerals are not abun- 

 dant, crystallized quartz of various colours is seen, a feature not 

 characterizing the Desh or open country. South of Ahmednuggur, as 

 far as Soagaon on the Beema river, and Meerujgaon on the Seena river, 



* That comparatively rare European mineral, ichthyophthalmite, is most abundant and • 

 of great beauty in the neighbourhood of Poona. 



