76 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. |N.S., NIN. 
Indian Museum. as identical with a species living in large 
numbers in the mud banks near the mouths of the channels of 
the Sundarbans. Mr. Vredenburg was definitely of the opinion 
that the oyster bed was of marine origin, that it was in situ 
and moreover, geologically of very modern age. The large 
size and robust appearance of the shells led him to believe 
that it was improbable they flourished much above low water 
mark, though this implied a relative position of the sea and 
land decidedly sation from that prevailing at present. for the 
altitude of the oyst ed is scarcely ever reached even by 
the highest spring tides of the Hooghly now. 
Mr. Vredenburg's view was evidently accepted by Sir 
Thomas Holland who wrote in the following vear (195) as 
follows : ‘‘ The discovery in July last of an old oyster a in 
Caleutéa at a level well above present high tide mark shows 
that besides the general depression which has occurred to 
permit of the Sicdulilavion of alluvial deposits in the 
Gangetic delta, there have been oscillations also of the relative 
level of sea and land during recent geological times.” | 
Scattered about the mud heaps by the side of the trenches 
Ch, a number of other shells were picked up 
aracter of the 
aasobinted tecna. and Dr. Fermor, who visited the excava- 
tions in July 1904, was informed by the 
overseers that they were found principally in the layer of mud 
underlying the oyster bed.2 ese remains were identified by 
the late Dr. N. Annandale, C.I.E., Director of the Zoological 
Survey of India, with the help of Mr. H. B Preston and it is 
naewones that they write of the deposit not as a marine 
but as an estuarine one.* ith the exception of a barnacle, 
Balanus patellaris, Spengler, which has been found living in 
ponds containing very little salt in solution and a polyzoon, a 
variety of Lepralia ( Escharioides) occlusa, Busk, which coated 
some of the oyster shells in profusion, the recognisable remains 
consisted of mollusean shells though there was, in addition, a 
mammalian bone probably or te to a large dog or wolf. 
A list of the shells is given below 
Telescopium fuscum, Ch. A common living species and 
essentially an estuarine form 
Paludina (Vivipiara) bengalensis, Lam. One of the com 
Ampullaria g obosa, Swains. This is also a very commion 
freshwater shell in Lower Bengal. 


Sir T. H. Hollan ‘* General Report of the Geslonient Survey 
~ India for the Period “apeil 1903 to December 1904." Ree Geol, Surv. 
ae Vol. XXXII, pp. 136 eg 
b 
Sp. 176. 
N. Annandale: ‘* Secon ‘Noe on a Recent Estuarine Deposit 
below Clive Street, Calcutta.’ Ree. Geol. Surv. Ind., Vol. XXXVII. 
pp. 221-223 (1908). 
Se se Sa eR ER aN eat 
