122 Hevk'H's — Geological Survey — Geology of India. 



Kashmir, so called, six glaciers belonging to Hunza, Nagir, and 

 Bagrot have been visited, and sketch-maps, supplemented by photo- 

 graphs, of their ' snouts ' have been prepared with a view to determine 

 the direction and amount of their secular movements. The glaciers 

 fall into two classes, viz., those which lie in troughs parallel to the 

 mountain ranges, and those which flow at right angles to the ranges ; 

 the former longitudinal, the latter transverse glaciers. The Kashmir 

 section of the Survej- is illustrated by numerous photographs taken 

 bj^ Hayden and reproduced (collotype) by Bemrose of Derby. These 

 pictm-es, regarded simply from an artistic point of view, are exquisite 

 landscapes, in addition to their utility from a geological point of view. 

 The photograijh of the tei'minal ice-cave of the famous Hispar glacier, 

 in conjunction with the explanatory sketch-map, affords a most 

 instructive picture, whilst that of the Hassanabad glacier (already 

 reproduced in Nature, January 2nd, 1908, p. 201) presents features 

 of quite a different character. Moreover, this latter glacier has been 

 increasing in length of late years, contrary to the general practice of 

 Himalayan glaciers. The work on the glaciers of Lahaul and Kumaon 

 is e(|ually interesting and artistic, and as a result of the entire survey 

 posterity will be able to form an accurate estimate of the movement 

 of all these glaciers in future; How poor Marshall Hall would have 

 rejoiced at this ! 



As might well be expected, the glaciers of the Hunza Valley and 

 the Karakoram range generally descend to lower levels than those in 

 the Lahaul and Kumaon regions. In the former the snouts of the 

 glaciers proceed down to levels of 7,000 or 8,000 feet, whilst in the 

 latter thej' melt before descending below about 11,000 feet. The 

 second point most prominently displayed is the evidence of general 

 retreat shown by the occurrence in nearly all cases of old moraines at 

 lower levels in the valleys. If we remember rightly, this seems to 

 corroborate the experience of Hooker in Nepal during the fifties of the 

 last centui'y. Mr. Holland points out, however, that these results do 

 not necessarily mean that the glaciers are now in retreat, and he gives 

 two cases where a recent advance has been made. The evidence with 

 regard to the erosive action of ice' is said not to be conclusive. 



Tertiary. — In this connection Mr. Vredenburg, who has recently 

 been appointed Paiteoutologist, appears to have done good work, 

 especially in Beluchistan. The Director remarks that Mr. Vredenburg 

 has paid especial attention to the distribution of the foraminiferal 

 genera Ortliophragmina and Lepidocyclina, in view of the doubts 

 that have been expressed as to their constant separation in European 

 Tertiary strata. So far no instance has been noted in India where 

 these two genera are in association with each other. Lepidocyclina 

 has never been found below the jSTari (Oligocene), whilst Ortho- 

 phragmina has never been found above tlie lower zones of the Upper 

 Khirthar (Eocene). Thus these two genera retain their distinctive 

 stratigraphical value. 



The general result of Mr. Vredenburg' s work tends to emphasize 

 the importance of the breaks in the Tertiary formations. In the 

 Beluchistan area, where the beds are more disturbed, the unconformities 

 are obvious from the stratigraphical evidence ; whilst in Sind, where 



