Chap. 9.] w. blanford, western india. 49 



10 to 20 feet of limestone and sandstone, or are entirely wanting. That 

 this diflFerenee in thickness is not due to subsequent denudation appears 

 pretty plainly from the uppermost bed being constantly the same, a calcare- 

 ous and frequently fossiliferous band, in places where the thickness 

 differs greatly. 



Before quitting this subject it may be as well to notice that there 



is a bare possibility that the massive sandstone 



Doubts as to relations ^ iii j n o •' it 



of sandstone. ^^^^ ^*^^ belong to the same formation as the over- 



lying limestone and shale which alone are fossili- 

 ferous. But its great constancy, and the apparently perfect conformity 

 of the two groups, render it most probable that they both belong to the 

 same series. At the same time the sandstone may represent some of the 

 formations of Central India. The thick sandstones of the Deva Nuddi 

 have some shght resemblance to the Mahadevas. So, far as the study 

 of them has hitherto proceeded however they appear to form an integral 

 portion of the same group as the limestones and shales. As will be 

 seen presently this by no means renders it impossible that they represent 

 the Mahadevas. 



The sandstone appears to be entirely unfossiliferous ; the principal 



organic remains in the argillaceous limestone are 



Echinoderms, especially Eemiaster, and lamelli- 



branchiate bivalves, amongst which Fecten ^-costatus is prominent and 



abundant. A small Uliynconella also is very common. Bryozoa of several 



kinds are the most conspicuous organisms in the coralline limestone. 



Some of these fossils are occasionally met with further to the west, but 



the only organic remains which are at all common near Kawat and the 



Deva are some well marked species of Ostrea and shark's teeth. It is 



not impossible that this difference, together with the great change in the 



mineral character of the beds, indicates a difference in the conditions of 



the area in which they were deposited. There can be no question but 



a ( 211 ) 



