PART 2 .] 
Medhmlt, Metamorphic rocks of Bengal. 
43 
intrusive character of these sub-gneissoicl granitic masses. On the same supposition the 
features of these Behar rocks, as thus far described, would fall well into harmony with 
generally received notions upon the process of hypogeue action,—that these southern 
portions of the formation, being contiguous to the main region of hypogene activity, 
have undergone general metanrorphism; while that portion at a distance from the centre 
exhibits special and partial intrusion, with a corresponding degree of metaniorphism. 
I must now attempt to exhibit those rock-features of the district which can 
scarcely be brought within, or which would seem anomalous in, the partial view that has 
been represented. The former are encountered in the sub-metamorphic rocks, and the latter 
in the gneiss, although it seems possible to bring them under one explanation. At about 
twenty miles to north-east by east, exactly in the run of the Rajgir range, and having the 
same strike, are the small hills of Sheikhpura. They also are principally formed of quart¬ 
zites in considerable thickness. Some of these could not be distinguished from those of 
Rajgir; many beds are tinted red, a feature not noticed in the Rajgir rock; and on the 
southern ridge there are schists distinctly intercalated with the quartzite. But the fact 
most irreconcileable with the view taken of the Rajgir series is that these Sheikhpura 
quartzites are certainly bottom-rocks. Along the whole face of the ridge over the town they are 
admirably exposed in contact with a coarse granitoid rock of very doubtful aspect. It is 
so thoroughly decomposed and so massi ve that one might readily fail to detect i ts true character. 
The quartzite, too, is steeply inclined against it, the beds in contact being of abnormal 
texture, and in a manner amalgamated with the surface of the rotten pseudo-crystalline 
rock. The section, however, at once reminded me forcibly of those I had seen eight years 
previously at the base of the Bijawur series in Bundelkuud. This conjecture made at 
Sheikhpura was fully confirmed ten miles further on in the same direction, where some small 
hills appear on the banks of the Kiu 1 close to the railway station of Luckieserai. The 
northern hill is formed of a coarse conglomerate, large and small sub-anguiar pieces of 
quartzites (I noticed none of crystalline rocks) in a matrix of gneissose schist; the dip is 
50 to south. The southern hill, only about 80 yards distant, is principally formed of an 
amorphous pseudo-granitic rock; but in it also strings of abraded detritus can be detected. 
On the south side this mass is overlaid by quartzites of precisely the same description and 
in the same manner as in the section at Sheikhpura. This section at L uckieserai most 
strikingly ressembles some in Bundelkuud, miles to westward ; and the rocks are so 
peculiar that whatever else is doubtful in the Beha r region, I am disposed to regard it as 
fixed that the Luckieserai beds are strictly geological representatives of the Lower (or rather, 
Intra.) Bijawurs. Now, the question is, can these belong in the same formation as the Rajgirs r 1 
there are several suppositions possible : 1 may have mistaken the true order of the rooks of 
Rajgir, but this I am least inclined to admit; or, the real bottom rocks may not appear 
anywhere m the Rajgir sections, the junction at Uhunsura having cut through them; or, 
both may be bottom-rocks in their separate localities—how far are we at liberty to impose any 
fixed order upon the deposits, especially us the Bijawurs, which are in'a manner our 
standard of comparison, are known to be most changeable on the same apparent horizon. 
As it to,close this last mode of escape, or to push it to the uttermost, there occurs at Bichua. 
withm two miles to the north-east of Luckieserai, a. considerable hill, much larger than 
ttiose just noticed, composed entirely of fine ferruginous schists, exactly like those of 
tdijgii or of Mu hair; it is quite isolated m the alluvium. There still remains to bo 
tried the supposition we found necessary in the Sone Valley-the presence of two distinct 
series, hut more or less resembling each other in general metamorphic condition. To apply 
this supposition in the Behar region brings us into difficulties with the gneiss of the 
main crystalline area: in the Sane district the Bijawur representatives would certainly be. 
tr iZ n T' of *wo senes there present; and in Behar, too, from what has been so 
have i^i w r h tr ds - al u ( w *t^ thjs sump view; but here we find that the series which we 
toZltt% aS9Undat@d . t0 the Bijawurs identifies itself most closely with at least one 
common torn or the great gneiss ol Bengal. 
The Kurrukpnr hills form the largest of the Behar groups. The general features 
are very sum ar to those already noticed; steep ridges of quartzite rising from the low 
ground on all sides. Schists occur abundantly within the range. The contortion of 
the strata is excessive, just as m the Rajgirs. Gneiss appears close to the base on 
the east and south sides : and on the west and north granitic crystallines occur within 
short distances. The Gbiddour range lies to the south-west of the Kuiruckjuu's betwee'n 
