INTRODUCTION. 7 



to illustrate that portion of the Sewalik hills extending from 

 the Hysudrus or Sutlej, on to the Ganges, which has lately 

 yielded an immense quantity of the fossil remains of a variety 

 of new species of mammalia. This is the only part of the 

 range which we have been able to examine, but for an expo- 

 sition of its geological relations it will be necessary to notice 

 theextent of the tract north-west and south-east of this portion. 



Range and Extent. — The Sewalik hills appear to commence 

 near the western bank of the Jhelum or Hydaspes, about E. 

 long. 74°, and to rmi down to the eastward of the Gunduck 

 in E. long. 85°, along an extent of at least 11°. It is pro- 

 bable that they are prolonged to the eastward in the Lohara 

 Dunga range, till they are lost in the marine formations of 

 Assam. From long. 74° to 82° the direction is about WW. 

 and SE. To the eastward of 82° they bend so as to run 

 almost due E. and W. Their axis is parallel to that of the 

 great chain of the Himalayahs, and in the examined portion 

 the strata have the same direction and dip. They are inter- 

 sected along their whole line, at short intervals, by the 

 numerous streams which tmite to form the two great extra- 

 montane river systems of drainage for the Himalayahs, that 

 of the Indus to the west and of the Ganges to the east, the 

 Brahmapootra being intra-montane along its entire course. 



Extent of the known Tract. — The tract along which we have 

 examined these hills from the Sutlej at Eoopur, long. 76° 30', 

 to the Ganges at Hurdwar, 78° 10', although considerable in 

 itself, is small for the extent assigned to them ; and some 

 doubt might be entertained of the identity of the range along 

 so protracted a line. But their physical and geographical 

 characters are so marked, that a glance at the map would 

 alone be convincing. Besides, from the hills at the eastern 

 bank of the Sutlej, near Eoopur, we have seen them stretch- 

 ing far off into the Punjab with the same north-westerly direc- 

 tion, and with a continuity interrupted only by the bed of the 

 river ; and in the same way they are seen from the heights at 

 Hurdwar, running out of sight to the eastward as they skirt 

 the hill province of Kumaon. Mr. McClelland' also gives a 

 section and description of the Sub-Himalayan heights near the 

 Gogra, long. 80° 20', which show that Sewalik hills there are 

 formed of the same beds, and attain similar heights as in the 

 tract between the Jumna and Ganges. We are therefore cer- 

 tain of their geological identity along a line of 4° of longitude, 

 or of about 272 miles. Captain Herbert^ has also described 

 them at the outlets of the Ramgunga and Cossillah rivers, as 

 showing the same characters as at Hurdwar, and imagines the 



• Geology of Kumaon. ' Herbert, Mineralogical Report, MSS. p 316. 



