On the Coal Fields and Coal Production of India. 501 
AGE OF THE PLANT-BEARING SERIES OF ROCKS INCLUDED IN THE 
GONDWANA SYSTEM. 
I have already given the proposed correlations of the several 
series or groups of Gondwana rocks, with European formations, 
but it may be well to add a few general remarks on the subject. 
Some of those now present who are readers of the Geological 
Magazine may, perhaps, have scented the battle which has been 
waged afar off, as to the homotaxy and correlation of these rocks 
with those of the recognised European sequence. 
Perhaps the most important recent result of the examination 
of the fossil plants has been the discovery that Glossopteris (a 
genus of ferns), which was formerly thought to be characteristic 
of the lower Gondwanas has been found to occur in the very 
highest group of the upper Gondwanas, viz., Jabalpurs. On the 
other hand several species of cycadaceous plants, which order was 
supposed to be restricted to the upper groups, have been found 
to exist in the lower or Damuda groups,* thus to a great extent 
binding the whole system of groups or series together, and draw- 
ing them away from the floras characteristic in other countries 
of paleeozoic periods. 
But what have been called palzeontological contradictions occur 
in these rocks, for it has been found, with reference at least to some 
of the higher or younger groups, that the marine faunas, where 
present, do not always point to the same conclusions as the 
floras. 
In the annual report of the Survey for 1876, this state of 
things was summarised by Mr. H. B. Medlicott in the following 
words :— 
“ The facts of our Gondwana rocks are certainly puzzling to systema- 
tists. On the west, in Kach we have the flora of the top Gondwana gronp, 
which has a Bathonien facies associated with marine fossils of Tithonien 
affinities ; while on the 8.E. in the Trichinopoli, beds, with a flora so far 
as known, like that of the Rajmahal group, which is taken to be liassic, 
have been described by Mr. H. Blanford as overlaid in very close rela- 
tion by the Otatoor group, the fawna of which has been declared upon 
very full evidence to have a cenomanien facies.” 
* The Damuda Cycadaceous plants are—Noeggerathia Hislopi., Bunb., Macropterygium 
Comp. Browni, Schimp., Pterophyllum Burdwanense, Fstm., Glossazamites Stoliczkanus 
Fstm., vide “ Records Geological Survey of India,” Vol. X., pt. 2. 
