their detestable and deleterious cosmetics. Their chief delight is in bathing and champooing, which at Tiflis may be enjoyed to perfection. The baths, situated in deep caverns,are impregnated with sulphuretted hydrogen, and their temperature I found at 112° Fahrenheit.

Georgian girls are not unfrequently married by the wishes of their parents at the early age of twelve; for, although they are not as formerly, so easily smuggled out of the country for sale; yet, the Russians are constantly seizing them to gratify their own gross and vicious inclinations. In every other respect, a spirit of forbearance is manifested towards those who have sought protection under the imperial crown : -whether it be to those hordes of barbarians which have intruded themselves into parts of the Russian territory already occupied by Russian subjects, or to those restless and infatuated beings whom disordered imaginations concerning points of religion would not permit to remain quiet in more civilized countries.

VII.—Explanation of the Sketch giving a geological Section of the Strata from Nimach to Mérta, published in the Asiatic Researches, vol. xviii. p. 92. By JAMES HARDIE, Esq. Beng. Med. Service.

[In the second part of the eighteenth volume of the Asiatic Researches, an article is published by Doctor HARDIE, on the geology of Central India, exclusive of Malwa, to which a geological section is appended of the "strata between Nimach and the British Residency at Mérta." Owing to the transfer of the editorship from the then Vice-President Mr. J. CALDER to ourselves when the volume was half through the press (the plates being at the same time in the publishers' hands), it was not perceived that the text did not contain any specific account of this particular plate, and it was only on lately recurring to the records of the Physical Class that a separate and detailed explanation by the author was found, which it has been thought advisable to make public at once through the pages of the Journal, as some apology to Dr. HARDIE, for the imperfect justice done to his geological researches. Many of our readers will be able to refer to the volume of Transactions for the plate in question, and to others the nature of the country will be sufficiently intelligible from the explanation itself, with the aid of a map, the examination being of course confined to the surface and proceeding westward from Nimach.—ED.]

This section is not offered as being perfectly correct, but it will serve to give a general idea of the rocks which occur on the route from Nimach to Mérta. The exact limits of the different formations are not laid down with precision, the surface is in so many situations covered with soil that I found it impossible to do this. I believe, however, that the whole will be found to approximate pretty nearly to the truth. I need scarcely add, that the exact position and breadth of the different alternating beds are not intended to be represented. This could not

have been done unless the section had been constructed on a much larger scale. With the scale to which I have limited myself, a bed of several yards in breadth would have been out of proportion large had it been represented by a single colored streak. I have at the same time endeavoured to preserve, as far as my observations would permit me, the general proportions which the one rock bears to the other on the grand scale in such alternations. The line of section runs in the first instance over a waved country, and afterwards over one which is nearly level. None of the hill ranges are traversed by this section.

A, the overlying trap formation of Malwa, at Nimach. B. B. B., the sandstones, sandstone slates, &c. described in page 39, of the paper in the Researches. These are continued as far as Benautí-surface generally covered with soil from which the strata here and there protrude: country waved and strata become more inclined as we proceed; west-dip SE. or E. On descending from the trap, the descent being gentle, the sandstones are immediately perceived, and, as we proceed west they pass into sandtone slate and lastly into the shale, &c. Numerous low detached ranges observed running on a northerly and southerly direction; none of these traverse the line of section, and only in one instance have we occasion to pass over a gentle rising ground connecting two low table crowned ranges. C. C., the hills of this sandstone formation, which are generally of the table shape represented, though sometimes they are conical. The Jésalmír stone abounds with fossil shells, scarcely a slab being free from them; they are not of the least detriment to the stone, so far as it regards its aptitude for lithographic purposes; the substance of the shell appearing to have become homogeneous with that of the stone in which they are imbedded.

Resting on the sandstones and forming the tabular summits of the hills occur, D. D., the quartzose breccia, described page 49. To the west of the Bárí hills occurs E, a yellow-coloured argillaceous limestone, of a compact texture, consisting of about 75 per cent. of earthy carbonates. It contains a small proportion of magnesia, and is coloured by iron, which last exists in pretty considerable proportion. The relative position of this limestone to the sandstones could not be correctly ascertained. A little to the north of Benautí occur the limestones described in page 43. These occupy gentle rising grounds.—I could not discover any organic remains in the yellow limestone, but I have not examined it minutely enough to speak with decision on this point.

The other limestones are purer and less ferruginous. They contain from 84 to 88 per cent. of earthy carbonates, but both the above varieties have a small proportion of carbonate of magnesia associated with the lime. A thick bed of kankar and soil covers the junction of the

yellow limestone and the sandstones; this bed is of considerable breadth : both however dip to the east at a considerable angle; and as the limestone occurs to the west of the sandstones, the former may possibly dip under the latter, and the series of formations of the narrow bed described in my published paper, may be thus completed.

F, a hill composed of the out-croppings of the quartz formation which shews itself further west. Benautí is situated at the base of this hill.

G. G. G. Quartz rock as described page 31. It alternates with H. H. H. &c. which is the rock described as an imperfect variety of granite rock. It has a porphyritic structure, and might almost be classed with the porphyries. It is however indistinctly stratified. In travelling from Benauti to Nakum, as far as the yellow limestones occurs, the surface is generally covered with soil from which the limestone occasionally protrudes; but on passing the limits of this vast formation, a very narrow bed of a slaty argillaceous rock presents itself, and this is immediately succeeded by the quartz, which rises occasionally into craggy and rugged hills, and the outcroppings of the highly inclined, and in many situations almost vertical, strata of which are constantly observed. The line of section traverses a hill: also composed of quartz. I, The separate section, K. is an imperfect representation of a hill composed of quartz which occurs to the east of Nakrum. The slope in the direction in which the strata dip is abrupt and destitute of soil. In the opposite direction, it presents a bluff rugged face and which rises abruptly from the slope; M. M., the slope in this direction being more gradual. The hills at Nakrum, which are also of quartz, exhibit something of a similar appearance: these rise about 300 feet above the level of the plain. The bluff crag L occupies the highest position of the ridges, and the hills slope on either side their summits, presenting bare perpendicular cliffs, rising abruptly to the east and west from the slopes, which last are covered with stunted trees. From Nakrum to Mangarwar the surface, for the first half of the distance, is usually covered with soil, from which occasionally protrude the quartz and the granitic rocks; H. H. &c. As we proceed west the quartz becomes purer and more transparent. It frequently assumes a nearly slaty structure, in consequence of minute plates of mica being parallel to the stratiform structure. Thus far the surface is nearly level It afterwards becomes very gently undulating, and the out-croppings of the quartz strata are occasionally seen occupying the gentle swells. This quartz now appears to alternate with or rather there occur inclosed in its narrow beds of argillaceous schist, the quartz being the preponderating rock till within about three miles of Mangarwar, when the argillaceous schists become more plentiful. At and near Mangarwár the argillaceous schists pass into and alternate with greenstone schist

and a hornblende rock of a large grain. The last is composed of longish portions of hornblende of a shining aspect, which constantly intersect each other, and with this is associated a grey crumbly felspar. To this quartz is frequently added, in which case it forms a variety of sienitic granite. The greenstone schists are of a dark green color and of an uniform texture, they are apparently composed of similar ingredients to the last, but in a more minute state of aggregation. The argillace

ous schists are of a greenish grey color; they are rather soft, and some of them seem to approach to chlorite schist; scales of mica sometimes occur disseminated through these. The alternating quartz beds fre quently assume a greenish tint. This is particularly observed where they occur in contact with the greenstone.-N. N. N. &c. represent the above series of argillaceous schists, greenstone schists, &c. The country, after living Nakrúm, is characterised by its level and unbroken aspect; the gently undulating appearance alluded to, being scarcely observed on the large scale, and the hills in the neighbourhood of Mangarwár more deserve the name of low rounded swells. On leaving Mangarwar the route lies, for the first five miles, over an uncultivated level plain, covered with soil, and, in one or two instances, outgoings of strata of pure white quartz are observed. From this it is probable that the alternations observed, to the east of Mangarwár, are continued thus far. About a mile from Hita we observe a very fine-grained granitic rock, composed of a pale reddish felspar, semitransparent quartz, and mica; the last in very small proportion, and in some situations, entirely wanting. This rock frequently assumes something of the structure of gneiss.-At Hita we also find this granite, and, associated with it, another variety of a larger grain, composed of white quartz, greyish white felspar, of a soft and friable nature, and a very dark colored mica, the last in great abundance. Shortly after leaving Hita, beds of greenstone schist, N. N. approaching to argillaceous schist, alternate with the close-grained granites for a short distance, and afterwards granitic rocks inclosing beds of quartz are alone observed. A similar granite to the large grained variety of Hita, also, occasionally presents itself, but the mica is in much smaller proportion. As we proceed west the felspar acquires a redder tint, and the large-grained granites here and there are seen; the fine-grained varieties preponderate. The mica in the fine-grained granites is frequently of a greenish color, it also occurs nearly black. Hornblende too, occasionally occurs: and this, as we proceed west, appears to be replaced in many instances by actynolite, which is found as a constituent of these granites. O. 0. O. the granitic rocks just described, are generally speaking stratified, and many of them have a structure approaching to that of gneiss. This is even observed in several of the

varieties composed entirely of quartz and felspar; these two ingredi. ents, being arranged in nearly parallel grains of a prismatic form, the felspar frequently entirely surrounding the longish grains of quartz, and giving rise to a porphyritic structure. The felspar is the principal ingredient in these granitic rocks or perhaps granitic gneisses.

Q. The waved sienitic gneiss, similar to that described in a former paper, as occurring at Karábar. The country where this occurs is generally covered with soil, but in one or two instances it presents itself at the surface. S. Primitive dolomite; it occurs regularly stratified, the surface where exposed, having acquired a dark earthy aspect, The fresh fracture is coarse-grained and crystalline: some of the crystals being of rather a darker color than others, and the whole being of a smoky grey. It is almost entirely dissolved in nitric acid, and is composed of carbonate of lime, with which a considerable proportion of carbonate of magnesia is associated. This is succeeded by alternations of granitic rocks, W. W. W., and hornblende rocks, X. X. X. The granitic rocks of this series are very various, some are large-grained, and are composed principally of flesh-red felspar and white quartz; some are fine-grained; many of them almost compact, composed of similar ingredients but are of a lighter colour. In both mica occasionally occurs, but in very small quantity. It is sometimes dark-green and at others greenish yellow; the quantity of mica varies much in different beds, and is very frequently entirely wanting. Sometimes too a granite rock occurs, principally composed of whitish or pale red granular felspar, to which quartz, mica or chlorite are occasionally added in small proportion. In many of the fine-grained granitic rocks, &c. minute yellowish green specks of epidote are observed. Some additional remarks on the above rocks will be found in my memoir. The hornblende rocks X. X. X. exist in the form of a nearly pure hornblende rock, and to this last felspar of a grey color is occasionally added. When quartz exists in any quantity in these, they pass into sienitic granite. Hornblende schist is also common, and with this a small proportion of felspar is occasionally associated, making it sometimes appear to pass into sienitic gneiss.

An idea of the form of the hills near the line of section may be gathered from the slight uncoloured sketch placed over the different formations. The line of section however does not traverse any of these. The general dip of the strata is to the N. E. and after leaving Nakrúm their position is nearly vertical.

N. B. Mérta is distant 12 miles from Oudaipur. It lies to the east, and a little to the north of the latter city.

i