116 Notices of Memoirs — The Silver Country of the Vazeers. 



When the remains of this species were first described, the portions 

 of lower jaws found with them were regarded hy the writer as 

 reptilian ; ' the possibilit}' of their forming part of the same skeleton, 

 although considered at the time, was not deemed sufficiently strong 

 to be placed on record. On subsequently removing the surrounding 

 shale, the skull and additional portions of both jaws were brought 

 to light, so that there cannot now be a reasonable doubt that all are 

 parts of th^ same bird. The possession of teeth and biconcave 

 vertebrje, although the rest of the skeleton is entirely avian in type, 

 obviously implies that these remains cannot be placed in the present 

 group of birds, and hence a new sub-class, OdontornitJies, is proposed 

 for them. The order may be called Ichthyornithes. 



The species lately described by the writer as Ichthyornis celer also 

 had biconcave vertebrae, and probably teeth. It proves to be 

 generieally distinct from the type species of this group, and hence 

 may be named Apatornis celer, Marsh, It was about the same size as 

 Ichthyornis clispar, but of more slender proportions. The geological 

 horizon of both species was essentially the same. The only remains 

 of them at present known are in the museum of Yale College, 



The fortunate discovery of these intei'esting fossils is an important 

 gain to palfeontology, and does much to break down the old distinc- 

 tions between Birds and Eeptiles, which the ArcliEeopteryx has so 

 materially diminished. It is quite probable that that bird, likewise, 

 had teeth and biconcave vertebrae, with its free metacarpals and 

 elongated tail, (Appendix to SilUman's American Journ., Feb,, 1873, 

 p. 161.) 



II, — Yazeeri Eupi, the Silver Country of the Yaeezrs in Ktjlu ; 

 ITS Beauties, Antiquities, and Silver-mines : including a 

 Trip over the Himalayah Eange and Glaciers. By J. 

 Calvert, r,G,S,, Mem, Inst. C.E. With numerous Illustra- 

 tions, 8vo. (London and New York, 1873.) 

 "ULU is the mountainous region drained by the headwaters of 

 the Eiver Beas, and of the Malauna, Parbutti, Harla, and 

 Sainj, its tributaries. These rise partly in the high range (21,772 

 feet) bounding Spiti on the west, and partly in the Deobita (20,417 

 feet) and Eohtang (15,506 feet) range. Near to and parallel with 

 the northern and steepest side of the latter runs the Chandra Eiver, 

 receiving the waste of the Shigri, Perad, Sack, and Hamta Glaciers, 

 A portion of Kulu, crossed nearly at its centre by Lat, 32° N, and 

 Long, 77° 30' E,, is " the Silver Country of the Yazeers," with an 

 area of 677 square miles and a population of about 3000, The mines 

 were closed, built up, and planted over some years ago, on the 

 invasion of the Sikhs ; and the wealth of silver, copper, and antimony 

 appears to have been nearly forgotten, until the energy of recent 

 speculation once more opened up the mineral riches of this district. 



The great Kulu (or Kooloo) valley, noted for its beautiful scenery, 

 about 115 miles north of Simla, is traversed by many, who pass over 

 the Himalayahs on business, or for adventure and sport ; and for 

 ' Silliman's Journ., vol. iv., p. 406, Nov. 1872. 



