331 



Mr. James Bird on the Country 



[Oct. 



rock. It forms whole hills, of which the long diameter extends 

 from east to west. The structure of this rock is extremely hard, 

 and in appearance it varies from a secondary sandstone to that of 

 pure quartz. 



This quartz-rock formation extends as far as Belgaum, where we 

 again meet with the amygdaloid. The undulating ground here, which 

 is of inferior height to the hills of broken basalt, is composed of a red 

 clay-iron-stone or laterite. It is sometimes of a yellowish colour, 

 soft, and in a state of decomposition, from the action of the weather: 

 in such instances it has much resemblance to iron rust. In either 

 case it is hard and undulated, forming an aggregated rock which ia 

 used for building. 



From Belgaum to Kittor we meet with numerous pieces of iron 

 ore scattered over the surface of the ground. They are most abun- 

 dant where the soil is red; and are chiefly to be met with near the 

 hills lying south-east from Kittor. Some specimens of the ore are 

 bubbled, having the appearance as if they had suddenly cooled while 

 in a state of fusion. From the mixed nature of the rocks found in 

 this part of the country, quartz, iron-stone, and basalt, being indis- 

 criminately huddled together, I am inclined to think that some 

 strong convulsion of nature must have produced this at some time 

 or other; and the generally bubbled appearance of the rocks war- 

 rants this conclusion. Specimens of black quartz are found among 

 these rocks. 



In the immediate vicinity of Kittor the structure 'of the rocks is 

 coarse slaty . They are composed of alternate layers of quartz and 

 iron ore, varying in thickness from the sixteenth-part of an inch to 

 that of a whole, which gives the rock a striped appearance. 



The effect which this rock produces on the magnetic needle is, 

 however, the most extraordinary part of its nature. It has no in- 

 herent magnetic power, sine e it does not attract steel under any form ; 

 but when cut into a parallelogramrcal figure, c A 

 of which two sides are longer than the other 

 two, as here represented, it exhibits great power 

 over the needle of a small pocket compass. 



If the side a b be presented to the north pole, i t 

 repels the needle; but when brought round to the south pole, it attracts 

 it. When the side c d is presented to the north pole, the effect is 

 vice versa ; and if the stone be moved circularly over the glass of the 

 compass, the needle is set in motion. 



It would appear, therefore, that this rock possesses polarity, but 

 does not exhibit any magnetic power in attracting simple steel. The 

 ore it contains is probably magnetic iron ore j and the well-ascertained 



