On Floating Ice in India. 435 
exist between the lithological characters of these two deposits 
but on this point we shall doubtless hear more ere long. 
The Physical Geography of India at that time was undoubt- 
edly very different from what prevails at present. The 
Peninsula was at first probably unconnected with Eastern 
Asia, and the Himalayas ; while, from the similarity of the fossils 
in the coal measures of India with those of the upper (triassic) 
portion of the Australian coal measures, and those of the later 
portion of the Karoo beds, it has been argued that India was 
then in connection with Australia and Southern and Western 
Africa. As the cold of the Talchir times was withdrawn both 
animals and plants appear to have spread over the whole area, 
and the migration then commenced appears to have continued 
down to Miocene or Pliocene times when the Indian Giraffe and 
Ostrich, the remains of which are found in the Sivalik deposits, 
appear to have marched off bodily to Africa leaving no living re- 
presentatives behind them. The strong African element in the 
Indian, or Indian element in the African fauna of the present day 
proves the intimate connection which existed between these 
countries at no very distant period, but into this subject I must 
not further wander. 
At what period the Himalayan region, and Eastern Asia with 
it, became permanently connected with the Peninsula is uncertain, 
but probably the Eastern portion was, for a time at least, during 
the deposition of the coal measures continuous with India since 
there are at the foot of the Sikkim Himalayas, coal measures with 
plant fossils identical with those of the Peninsular fields. 
Evidence too of much colder climates than that now prevail- 
ing in the Himalayan region in comparatively recent times is 
afforded ‘by undoubted traces of glaciers as described by Major 
Goodwin Austen at elevations of only 5,000 feet above the sea. 
And according to Mr. Theobald there are old moraines in the 
Kangra district, at elevations of only 2,000 feet above the sea, 
but his conclusions are disputed by other authorities. One class 
of observations, however, show that a temperate climate must 
have prevailed in India at no very distant period, and if then 
why not also in Permian times? 
The class of observations I refer to are those connected with 
the characters of the fauna and flora which exist on the High- 
Soren. Proc., R.D.S. Vou. 1., Pr. vin 262 
