Dr. Feistmantel — The Gondiuana Series of India. 485 



be of the age of the Great Oolite by Sharpe and Tate, from which we 

 may again draw conclusions regarding our Kachh beds containing 

 very closely allied fossils. 



Dr. Waagen, on the other side, proves also an identity of several 

 species in these upper Kachh beds with European Triassic ^ forms. 



This is also again repeated by W. T. Blanford.^ Forms related 

 to some of the plants in the Kach beds are found too in Dhagestan 

 and in Russia (Ekaterinoslaw), by which the connexion of the Flora 

 with that of Europe seems to be still more established. 



c. The Rajmahal Series were first and best known from the 

 Eajmahal Hills,^ where a typical and very well marked Flora is the 

 only record of former organic life. 



A luxurious growth of large Cycadeous plants, as Pterophjllum, 

 Cycadites, such as we find generally only in Liassic deposits, covered 

 the area ; while the Indian type, Ftilophyllum, Morr. [Falceozamia, 

 Endl.), already began to live here, was very abundant, and survived 

 till the time when the Jabalpur Group and Kachh beds were depo- 

 sited. We have therefore with this a genus and two species from the 

 older Rajmahal Series equivalent to the newer Kachh Series. The 

 Ferns, too, were rather abundant, and indicate distinctly a connexion 

 with the European Rheetic and Liassic time, supported especially by 

 some Alethopterides, and most frequently large TcBniopteris-leaYes 

 {Macrot. lata, Morrisi, etc.), and others, which indicate a distinct 

 Liassic character. This is further established by some species of 

 Otozamites, particularly 0. Bengalensis, Schimp., very near to 0. 

 hrevifoUus, Braun, by some Coniferce, by an Equisetum (E. Rajma- 

 lialense, 0. M., sp. Schimp.), which by Schimper* is considered as 

 connected with Rhsstic forms, and by Schenk ^ as a Liassic represen- 

 tative. The Flora of Atgurh^ contains only Rajmahal Ferns, and 

 that of Golapili,' Godavari district, agrees completely with the plants 

 of the Rajmahal Hills. 



The Rajmahal Series were therefore principally deposited in the 

 Rajmahal Hills and along what is now the south-east coast of India. 



As a peculiar fossil plant of these Rajmahal Series may be 

 mentioned what Prof. Morris describes as Dictyopteris falcata, var. 

 ohtusa ; but which Dr. Oldham had previously supposed to be a 

 Zamia, proposing the generic name Dictyozamites for it. This is now 

 indeed proved, and I have described this fossil as Dictyozamites 

 indicus, Fstm., taking both varieties as the same.'' 



There seems to be also a slight analogy between our Rajmahal 

 Series and the lower portion of Tate's Uitenhage formation of South 

 Africa, just below the Trigonia bed there. 



d. The Sripermatur Group of Mr. Foote, of equal age with the 



1 Paleeont. Indica: Cepalopoda of Kachh, 1873-76. 



2 Records Geol. Surv. India, vol. ix. No. 3. 



3 Oldham and Morris, Pal. Indica, 1862. 



4 Pal veget. vol i. p. 276 ; vol. iii. p. 652. 



5 Flora der Greuzschichten, 1867, pp. 15, 20. 



^ Only lately brought by Mr. Ball, therefore not yet published; also not to 

 be mentioned here. 



' Feistmantel, Rec. Geol. Surv. India, vol. ix. 'No. 2. 



