MALLET, VINDHYAN SERIES. 105 



remains^ which are more or less abundant in the newer formations. The 

 Vindhyans are in the Indian scale mediate between the Bijawurs and 

 Gwaliors on one hand (the relative age of which to each other is yet 

 uncertain) and the Talchirs on the other; the first formation beneath the 

 lowest coal as far as we yet know. 



With regard to their age according to the European standard there 

 is Kttle to be said, as the absence of fossils deprives us of the only 

 means of direct correlation. In a previous volume* of the Memoirs, 

 however. Dr. Oldham has shown the probabiHty of the Damuda system 

 representing in part the Permian and upper carboniferous periods, 

 which would indicate for the Vindhyans, therefore, some age older than 

 upper carboniferous. It would be cm-ious if Dr. Voysey^s guess, made 

 at a time when great importance was attached to hthological similarity, 

 and in which, relying no doubt on the fact of their being to some extent 

 red sandstone, he assigned them an " old-red-sandstone^' age, were after 

 aU to prove correct. The opinion of the majority of the earlier observ- 

 ers that the series represents the "new red^^ is clearly erroneous. 



The Vindhyan area, especially in the eastern districts, presents a 



fine field for the study of denudation. The battle between the advocates 



of marine and sub-aerial denudation has of late 

 Denudation. 



been waged so hotly, that it may not be without 



interest to ofier a few remarks on the subject. When commencing 



the examination of the Vindhyans some years ago, the prevailing 



opinion was that the physical features of the country were due if not 



in detail, at least in all the more important points, to marine action 



and the various escarpments were regarded as ancient sea cliffs. It 



was then believed that the former marked so many periods of rest 



in the elevation or depression of the land. That the Bundair scarp, 



for instance, was cut out when the land stood at a certain level after 



* Vol. Ill, p. 207, 



( 105 ) 



